Pokémon Movie 1: Yellow - Premonition
by Kenrai
Summary: A single year after the events of Pokémon Red, Green and Blue the Indigo Conference League hold an official event in hot spot Viridian City for the region's top Trainer and recently crowned Champion Steven however things take a dark turn when a familiar intruder attends the event...
1. Shot Down in Flames

**Pokémon Movie 1: Yellow**

**Premonition**

**Chapter 1: Shot Down in Flames**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or any of its merchandise. That honour belongs to Nintendo and Game Freak.**

_**Featured Music: "Viridian City" – Pokémon Anime OST. **__Scene __**1**__. (First Half)._

_** "What's Your Name?" – Pokémon Battle Revolution OST. **__Scene __**1**__ (Second Half)._

_** "Pokémon Main Theme (Movie Mix)": Pokémon Red, Green and Blue's Theme. **__Scene __**2**__. (First Half)._

_** "Kanto Champion" –**__**Pokémon Red, Green and Blue OST. **__Scene __**4**__._

_A/N: Yo guys it's Kenrai again in the Pokémon Field. As stated in the blurb this is a sequel to _**Pokémon Red, Green and Blue: Road of a Champion**_. If you haven't read that then go ahead and give it a go; this'll make a bit more sense if you do._

_Before anyone asks about the strange naming of this being a 'Movie', I plan to make interludes of each Region's after-events branching from the main piece of work before it, this one being related to Red, Green and Blue. And finally the name 'Yellow' just a name; it's generally just a convenient way to continue the tradition of naming it after a game/colour in the series._

_Not much else to say really except that I hope you guys enjoy it. Thanks!_

_A single year has passed after the events that led Pallet Town newbie Steven Murray to Kanto and Johto's Indigo Plateau and become its Champion. In that time, he has since become the Indigo Conference League's 'poster boy' and works to continually promote the large governmental organisation through his many events choreographed _by _the organisation._

_Misty, after her friend's win at the Championships, has moved back to maintaining peaceful watch over her Gym in Kanto's beautiful Cerulean City. However her request to the ICL for some annual leave couldn't have been timed better…_

_William Rivers, or simply Bill, has moved towards making his dream of reinstating the Pokémon Computing Management Society; by approaching the Indigo Conference League with his inventive ideas, and with a little influential assistance from his close friend Steven, Bill finally begins to make his dream a reality. Although the computer literate young man has been reported as missing as of recently from an extended 'business trip', leading the police to begin investigation…_

_Ross Oak, top class Battler and first runner up of the ICL's last Pokémon League Battling Competition, has left the region of Kanto for self-stated 'training'. In the midst of his gruelling regimen however he is approached by a suspicious cloaked figure…_

_Between all these events, the year-long Champion Steven attends a Knockout Tournament event held in the newly built 'Trainer House' in the quiet city of Viridian. In this new battling facility, shaped to emulate a stadium, Steven acts a survivalist in the event, facing Trainers from all corners of Kanto and Johto in quick succession._

_As the event progresses, a young and talented Pokémon Battler finds herself late to the attendance and rushes her way to it from her hometown in the stone covered Pewter City…_

_**Scene 1**_

She ran through the winding gaggle of people gathered around the huge building dead ahead. The young girl was late but hopefully not too late; she had _completely_ forgotten that today was the day the ICL's Champion was visiting Viridian for the Survival Tournament. As she gasped and pounded her feet against the gravel below her, she clutched a flyer that was printed off for the ICL's event.

On the front was the grinning face of the Champion himself, his red eyes tilted to his left and his head to the opposite direction just a bit. On the top and in big, bold red letters was written the following.

**CALLING ALL POKÉMON BATTLERS**

Finally on the bottom was inscribed in the same font as from before in a lower case of letters.

_Now is your chance to take on the recently made Champion, Steven Murray! A knockout survival style Tournament has been designed for the Champion to test his mettle against some of the most talented Pokémon Battlers in the country! No formal qualifications are required; simply turn up with this flyer at the stated venue below._

_Venue: Viridian City, Kanto_

_Time: 10:00am – 1:00pm_

_As always, may you be ever favourable in victory!_

_As approved and Copyrighted by Kanto and Johto's Indigo Conference League._

The young girl ran on through the gathered crowd around her, her eyes narrowed hard on the building ahead of her.

She could still make it on time!

With a desperate effort of energy she turned a corner and weaved in and out agile-like of the crowd of people. While the Trainer House was built next to the city's official – and currently unmanned – Gym it was still a chore to get into.

With all the gathered people hanging around the entrance to the building it was tough alone to _find_ the very entrance. When she finally did, she pushed her way to the front before being confronted by a large man towering over her dressed in a bouncer's apparel, labelled with the Indigo Conference League's symbol.

Though usually shut, the two dojo like doors to the Trainer House were gaping wide open to commemorate the new event held by the Kanto and Johto ICL. The doors were also placed open to better accommodate the growingly popular situation of the Pokémon Trainers that travelled to attend.

Even as the young girl dashed between the people, she made the attempt to run by the bouncer and the growing queue of participants. Unfortunately however she was quickly found by the attentive eyes of the watching bouncer. The cries of the annoyed viewers and participants in the queue didn't help either.

The young Trainer shot by the group and grimaced worriedly as she dashed on, zig zagging through the public and barely evading the long armed burly man chasing her with numerous exclaiming shouts of protest.

She _had_ to be here! There could be no other alternative!

The passionate young Battler narrowed her eyes and set her jaw hard as she weaved in and out of the wide eyed passers and walking staff of the event; holding purchasable popcorn and hotdogs and the like before finally heading up to the house's battle stadium.

It was generously large.

Though she stood in temporary awe for a few, glorious seconds she found herself rushed as the bellowing bouncer behind her chased her, forcing her awake to run ahead. With widened eyes and grit teeth she bulleted forward and down the descending steps to the huge stadium below her.

She exclaimed out rushed apologies as she pushed past the stadium goers and the poor staff members, cringing as cola and snacks were spilled everywhere. As they were, angry calls followed her and she turned her head around in a light, cringing smile.

"Sorry!" she called back but lost her smile instantly as she saw the burly big man in hot pursuit behind her, smashing past the yelling and knocked over man as he did so. "Wuh oh." she mumbled, snapped her head 'round. With the stadium below her target, she pushed her feet to all that they were worth and leapt.

She saw the blurry form of the red clothed Champion himself standing in the glaring bright lights and the centre of the very stadium's cheering and screaming attention. He stood in the light and gave a few waves, his free arm placed down to rest on his blue jeaned hips.

The young girl gasped as she landed, her feet jarring painfully. She had little to no time to recover though as the burly man behind her had finally gained enough momentum to catch up to her. She yelled out and kicked at the air as she was yanked up by the scruff of her neck's clothing and from the back. She scowled angrily as she shouted at the man behind her and flailed her limbs in annoyed protest.

The exchange unfortunately garnered the attention of the stadium and its attenders; they turned their heads around and cheers soon slowly turned to low, questionable murmurs. Finally, the young girl was able to consciously hear the announcer's voice.

Behind the frowning, blinking and watching Champion walked out the announcer; the Viridian City Poké Mart manager and clerk. He carried a look of greying in his hair which suggested his age however he had the same roguish looks as the young Champion, suggesting some form of connection between the two.

"Seems we have some trouble over there!" the Poké Mart clerk called over in a narrow eyed frown looking over. As he did, he nodded his head up at some other officials; men in slick looking suits and cool shades. They nodded similarly and turned to assist the already burly man in apprehending the protesting young girl.

The young Trainer gasped and widened her eyes at the sight of the two hulking giants making their way towards her position.

Soon her dream would be torn up and thrown in smoke.

When those two men got a hold of her and kicked her out of the event…

Her eyes squeezed shut and she yelled further, kicking wildly more than ever, as if to preserve her dream somehow.

"That's quite enough!"

The suited men turned their heads around, their attention caught. Even the man currently grappling the levitating young Trainer turned his head up in a wide eyed gasp, recognition at the voice. The young and thus far, unnamed girl, turned her own head up in a wondering blink to see why three of the ICL's strongest operatives had halted in their paths.

A man in a similar snazzy suit stood ahead of them, just shy of the audience seats. He gripped a cane tightly in both hands, placed in front of him to stand vertically. The man also wore a stylish looking hat that seemed to suggest an old age to him. A fuzzy, white moustache was attached to his face and it ruffled as he spoke.

While he spoke, a small Pokémon – a Weavile – stood next to him up straight and downed a cup of tea haughtily as it raised its eyebrows disapprovingly at the burly men. They looked down at it with blinking eyes and scrunched up expressions, as if almost questioning their sanity however when the Pokémon's owner opened his mouth again, it made the trio of men turn their heads once more.

"Although she may have breached entry… this event includes _all _viewers and participants. Let the young lady take a seat!" the man demanded and in a narrow eyed, hard frown. The trio of men turned their heads again to listen to their seeming superior's words and though just seemingly a member of the audience, the men complied. At the young girl's shock, the burly bouncers let go of her and walked off, presumably a little disappointed.

She stood in a permanent blinking frown before turning around, as if for some kind of answer. When she saw the Champion in the light, he grinned in his usual confident expression he used for photos and raised her one of his thumbs up. Before she could even respond, the similarly smiling man whom previously saved her lowered his head and raised his eyebrow, nodding down at her.

She turned her head and flinched at him in a blinking, curious frown. As his moustache twitched he raised his hand to take it from his face, revealing a fake one. He grinned down at her and winked as he did so. She turned her curious frown into a wide eyed, open mouthed grin.

"Hah!" she exclaimed outwith as she grinned back. "How'd you _do_ that?!"

"Just a little bit of incentive and a commanding tone can throw off brutes!" the well dressed, deceptively young man grinned back before pulling his head back. "Having a friend high up in the business can help too," he added sheepishly and winced a little in his smile as he scratched at his mouth before lowering his hand again.

"Friend?" the young girl blinked as she turned her head curiously at the older Trainer. He nodded his head in the Champion's general direction and she gasped, eyes widened as she snapped her head in between directions of the two. "_You're_ friends with the _Champion?!_" she exclaimed and the young man chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his head as he did so. His Weavile next to him sighed drearily as it finished its tea and turned its eye over on the young Trainer.

"Master is not only the Kanto Champion's friend but he is also part of a _group_ of companions that 'hang out' with said Champion,"

The young girl remained speechless at both the talking Pokémon in front of her as well as the words it spoke. The monocle wearing Weavile rose a curious eyebrow into the air before turning its head over up at the gentleman above her, as if for some form of sane communication. The young man chuckled in his refined accent and waved the matter off as he did.

"Come!" he offered and gestured to the audience seats he presumably sat in. As if reacting to his offer, his Weavile sighed and turned, walking down the aisle to reach its own seat. As the nameless gentleman turned to follow his Pokémon with a smile on his face, his cane clacked upon the ground as he did so.

"B-But-" the young girl blurted out as she ran in between the grumpy audience's feet, rushing to catch up with the gentleman. "I want to face the Champion! Lemme face the Champion!"

"All in good time!" the gentleman smiled as he turned his head back for a few seconds to show the young girl his expression before turning back as he made his way to his seat, soon halting. The black haired girl stopped also and blinked as she did so in watching the smiling and friendly gentleman introduce himself as well as a cast of similarly smiling pack of others. "My name is Thomas! Thomas Walker in fact!" the gentleman smiled. "This is Misty Waterflower of Kanto's Cerulean City Gym!"

"Hi," the girl in question greeted with a small smile and simple wave. She sat next to the well-dressed young man. Her stunning red hair was put into a simple ponytail to keep with a neat image however two strands of her long hair fell around her aqua-marine eyes, almost as if framing her face. She wore a t-shirt like pullover with a laced hood, blue in colour over a yellow t-shirt and finally simple jeans and trainers to accommodate her casual look.

To the Gym Leader's right side sat two more; another girl – perhaps a little older – and an older young male. The young girl was long and brown haired, wore a similarly long black dress. A short white jacket was attached to the girl's body however along with simple shoes. Her companion, short brown haired male wore a jacket of his own but it looked worn down with use and age, tattered here and there. He also wore similarly tattered jeans, almost as if to give him a cool look.

"Kimberley!" the brown haired, blue eyed girl introduced herself with a big smile.

"Just a troll." the male grinned but a quick slap across the head from his consort made him reconsider. "Kevin." he groaned in response as he nursed the fresh wound. Kimberley grinned at him and Misty chuckled as she watched.

"So!" Thomas began as he turned his head around to smile down at the young, pig tailed haired girl below him. "What is _your_ name?" he asked and gestured his hand down to her.

She blinked initially but gained a confident grin on her face as she jabbed a thumb at her chest. "I'm the next World Champion!" she introduced with a big grin on her face. The watchers blinked and gained a quick frown on their faces as they listened to her. "Sally Chang!"

Thomas turned his face and exchanged his own frown with Misty's before the two shrugged and grinned lightly before he turned back to face her again. "I'm sure you will be." the gentleman chuckled teasingly. When the newly introduced Sally opened her mouth to retort, Thomas smiled further as he gestured to the empty seat next to him on his left. "The event's about to start!"

She gasped and snapped her head 'round, standing on her tip-toes to get a good look over the stadium. When she realised she didn't have to because of the great view she had she lowered herself and took the offer that her new friend offered.

Maybe it'd be better to _watch_ him battle first.

"Now without further delay…" the Poké Mart clerk murmured through his microphone before smiling lightly and speaking in a louder tone of voice to address the crowd. "Welcome one and all to the Indigo Conference League's Golden Champion Survival Event!" the man spoke over with a strong rural accent, smiling as he did so. The audience regained their previous cheer and raised their balled fists into the air in response. "A survival tournament where all you lucky participants get to take on the year-long strong Champion, and my son, Steven Murray!" the man finally introduced, beaming proudly as he turned to shoot the young boy's hand up next to him.

The red capped Champion was dressed in a similarly coloured jacket but with a white underside around the tucked up sleeves to his elbows. There were many pockets lined around his crimson red jacket and he wore it over a bright yellow t-shirt, like his companion Misty as if to signify some form of special connection. His long auburn brown hair was blocked under his front side red and white cap and he grinned with his similarly crimson eyes staring back at the adoring audience.

"Just look at him." Kimberley chuckled as she lay back in her chair, legs raised and arms folded across her thin stomach. She grinned over at the similar faced young boy below her. "He was so terrified of this kinda thing just a year ago,"

"At home now huh," Misty lamented in a light, wan smiling sigh. Thomas chuckled.

"It could _always_ be worse." he spoke and grinned. "He could be _crying._" the gentleman teased. Misty couldn't help but smile as she remembered Steven's very first Championship battle and Kimberley and Kevin both tore up in sniggers in similar recognition.

Sally turned her head between the group and raised her black eyebrow at them, unknowing of the seemingly inside joke. She merely shrugged and resumed attention to the stadium below her.

"If you're just joining us, the official ICL Golden Survival Event has only just begun and what a b-e-a-utiful day it is to hold it!" an enthusiastic and deep, masculine voice presumably smiled out through a microphone, eliciting an approving scream from the audience to accompany him. "I'm long time commentator and retired Pokémon Battler Theodore Kent here to show you what an experience at the Pokémon League is like!"

"Yeah you _got_ it Thee!" the second voice exclaimed excitedly. Sally blinked and turned her head around the large stadium but could only find the pair sitting at an outside table just across from the main stadium itself.

Unlike the first commentator, a man made of expensive suits and a tie, the second was dressed in simple summer wear; jean shorts, trainers, a breathable t-shirt with the ICL's logo on the front and sunglasses atop his face.

"I'm DJ Pep; the _cool_ one!" he simply yelled out of his microphone, grinning exuberantly as he did so. The audience screamed with him as if in agreement, making the narrow eyed Theodore pouts lightly before smiling again and continuing.

"Wow they even got the Championship commentators; that must have cost a bundle." Kimberley mused out as she grinned lightly down at the pair in question. Kevin sniggered once but said nothing.

"Today's event features the relatively _new_ Champion Steven Murray! Give him a hand folks!" the middle aged commentator smiled as he gestured over towards the grinning and arm raised boy in question. The audience again yelled for their main attraction. "Today's Survival Event will have him pit against all you lucky battlers out there, and all for you viewers' pleasure! And now without further ado, we hand you over to Viridian's Poké Mart clerk John; may you all be ever favourable in victory!" the commentator grinned out of his microphone lightly. As he spoke the Indigo Conference League's trademark catchphrase the audience let out another approving whoop of energy, allowing the said Poké Mart clerk to give a small smile and nod in silent thanks.

"Yes it's certainly a great line up we have for you folks today!" the Viridian clerk smiled forward as he turned to face the audience. "Our first battler comes from all the way in Olivine City in the neighbouring region of Johto! Everyone please give it up for _Daniel!_" the man grinned as he turned to introduce the walking man in question.

As he strode into the lights, they highlighted his tough sailor's build and physique. He grinned in the light confidently and even flexed a muscle or two, gaining a great deal of the audience's favour. He was even _dressed_ in a sailor's outfit, presumably deciding not to change.

As the similarly grinning Steven stepped forward he exchanged a smiling nod with his father before continuing on. As he stood on the opposite side of the field, he lowered himself into a low battle stance, his right fingers itching to get at the Poké Balls on his belt. Even as the audience whooped and yelled in excitement for the pair, they simply glared at one another in similar grins, a kind of secret language going on between the two.

Only a few understood it.

Finally however Daniel spoke and grinned as the air conditioning swept his short brown hair up. "So they call you kids the best these days huh?" he began as he placed a hand on his hip, turning his head curiously at the young boy, as if disappointed. "Time to show your generation what it's all about!"

Steven's closed mouth grin simply extended to open lightly in response, as if knowing of his victory.

"Here we go!" Sally exclaimed as she grinned leapt forward, hanging over the precipice to watch.

"3… 2… 1…" John began as he narrowed his eyes forward and lowered his finger count with each number. Finally however he grinned and shot his arm forward, signifying the start of the event with an accompanying sound of a bell. "Begin!"

_**2**_

The red capped boy ran his left thumb across his nose once in a show of confidence before grinning as he tossed a Poké Ball high into the air. Daniel smirked back openly as he pulled back his own monster's sphere before vaulting it toughly like a fast ball in a game of baseball.

The Poké Balls opened up to reveal a pair of strong looking monsters; on Steven's side flew a rocky Flying Type glaring at its enemy as it screeched out a battle cry.

An Aerodactyl.

It flew in the air and glared hungrily at its oncoming enemy and, as it did so, the sailor threw his Poké Ball forward. Out popped a grinning Machamp, flexing its muscles and pecks for the screaming audience and the flashing lights.

"Our match is begun with a favourite ladies and gentlemen!" Theodore began with a low smile as he watched from his seat. His deep voice echoed in the large stadium in amongst the screaming fans and the bright lights.

"_Yeeeeah_ Thee it's _AERODACTYL!_" DJ Pep screamed out in his usual over the top style of commentating.

"That's right Pep! Many of you will remember this Pokémon from Steven's previous climb into the Indigo Plateau Championships! It's certainly one to be feared for its highly aggressive and dangerous fighting style!" Theodore warned in his easy going smile from his own seat.

The bell rang again, signifying the beginning of the match. Steven's Aerodactyl almost immediately bulleted forward, screeching a war cry in a fear raising expression. Daniel's Machamp simply stood in a hard eyed glare, flexing its four arms around itself as if in practice. As if expecting it to attack almost immediately the Machamp, using one of its four bulking arms, grabbed the Flying and Rock Type's wings in mid-air as it approached, eliciting another screech from the scowling Pokémon.

The audience screamed out in cheer as they watched at the unlikely course the battle had taken but the Machamp wasn't finished; on command of its master, the brawny monster growled as it tossed one of its tough fists into the prehistoric predator, thundery in colour and power.

As it smashed into the screeching Aerodactyl the audience let out a whoop of worry and genuine surprise; the Aerodactyl being forced flying backwards in a pained roll.

However the Aerodactyl's owner stood below it still ever grinning, eliciting a curiously raised eyebrow from the watching Daniel. Before he could open his mouth to trash talk his opponent the boy Champion shot up his right fingerless gloved hand and grinned. Almost immediately and as if reacting to his raised index finger, the aggressive flier forced itself forward and with a final screech – this one of power and determination – it narrowed its eyes and closed in its wings close to its own body.

Every inch of the prehistoric Pokémon gave off a bright flash before it suddenly shot forwards, as if propelled by the magic force that guided it. The audience screamed to life once more as they watched it fly, crashing into the wide eyed Machamp and successfully taking it off guard.

"Just as we expected!" Theodore yelled out as he sat up in his chair, grinning as he did so. "Aerodactyl's dynamically fast _Sky Attack!_"

"Sucks for _you_ Machamp!" DJ Pep laughed out as he raised himself up to bend his elbow and the microphone to his mouth. The audience cheered with him and for their regional Champion, eliciting a wide eyed grunting gasp from the shock faced Daniel. Steven grinned and with a hard fist down vertically through the air, pumped in confidence, he rushed over to join his Aerodactyl. As it flew back the two grinned as they converged in meeting; the pair used their hands to grasp at each other's head and laughed as they softly bashed their heads against one another in a show of brotherly affection.

"The first win goes to the Champion of Pallet! But what will Daniel pull out of his hat of tricks _now?_" Theodore smiled out of his microphone, his voice echoing in the flashy stadium. The sailor in question glared over at the laughing Trainer and his Pokémon before grunting as he shot a Poké Ball flying forward. It exploded open in the air to reveal a towering bear like Pokémon, roaring intimidatingly as it scowled hard.

An Ursaring.

Steven grinned and returned his attention to the battle; he turned his head and tossed a second Poké Ball in the air to take his Aerodactyl's place. The sphere exploded open to reveal a different style of monster; a purple coloured beast stood on two legs, swinging a scaled tail around the air threateningly. Like its opponent it glared heatedly but with its head held low and its eyes shining in the dark.

A Nidoking.

Once again the bell rung for the pair to begin their battle and it did with a bang; the narrow eyed Ursaring, quick as a flash, rose up its pair of meaty arms before crashing them down into the ground roughly eating up the stadium's floor easily as it did. However the Nidoking had taken its opponent's expected move to prediction and leapt up in the air, coming down on the huge Normal Type with a narrow eyed glare.

With a bellowing order from its Trainer, the Ursaring shot its arm up in counterattack; an Ice Punch coated in the very blocks of snow that the Poison Type would fear. The Ursaring glared before sending an uppercut smashing through the grunting and shut eyed Nidoking, sending it skyward and in a great seeming deal of pain.

The audience gasped and cheered in a mix show of worry, shock and gleeful excitement however they were all answered; the grinning sailor Daniel soon lost his favour as the purple Poison and Ground Type exploded in a puff of white smoke, leaving behind nothing but the Double Teamed copy it had done before.

Steven grinned from his watching perch as the ground shook terribly, forcing the Ursaring to grunt and fall to its rear from the sheer force of the Earthquake. Suddenly and, with ample enough warning, the ground cave in from beneath Ursaring; the culprit was revealed to be a beam of orange light energy shot from the Nidoking's arms, hiding beneath the ate up ground that Ursaring did before.

The beam of energy – a well-aimed Focus Blast – made contact and fizzled into the roaring Ursaring's ringed chest, sending it careering into the air painfully; a one hit K.O. As it landed in a resounding thud the Nidoking leapt up from its previous hiding spot before grinning its shining fangs forward, rising up its thumb up in an approved gesture.

The audience screamed for the Poison Type.

Steven laughed with the audience's cheers and punched the very sky in a show of approval before running forward to meet his Pokémon, his Aerodactyl following him. The two long-time friends grinned and gave each other a series of fist bumps and as the stadium's speakers began to play rock music the trio grinned at each other and imitated the guitars' riffs in an 'air guitar' like motion.

"Oh my _god,_ kill me now…" Misty whined in a cringe as she watched, lowering her head into her arms in an obvious show of embarrassment. Thomas gave a bellyful laugh as he watched, gripping his cane with both arms from his seat.

"He's still quite the rambunctious youth I see!"

"Yep…" Misty winced between her fingers, red in the face. "Not much has changed… unfortunately,"

"Yeah! Go, go, go!" the watching Sally grinned forward as she hung over the railing, her arm coiling in the air in approval.

The watching sailor's anger only heightened to new levels and his low toned growl quickly turned to a long and loud yell, superseded only by the strength of the audience's cheer. As he screamed his disapproval and with built up frustration, the man ripped at least three Poké Balls from his belt and with a manic, wide smile on his expression he tossed them forward.

A Golbat, Venomoth and a Golem.

They rushed toward the opposing Trainer and his two Pokémon but Steven simply grinned and spun a third Poké Ball around his fingers before tossing it forward, knowing and expecting. The sphere opened up and, as it did so, a huge blue turtle Water Type Pokémon leapt from it; two cannons on its shelled shoulders shot out from the insides of it.

As it was vaulted into the air by its Poké Ball, small spheres of Water Style energy charged in the monster's mouth just a few centimetres away from it and its cannons threateningly. Steven finally spoke his final order and grinned as he did so, his voice echoing in the showy stadium.

"_Hydro Cannon!_"

The water beams exploded in a show of beautiful glittering power and all three converged to create a massive attack that crashed into the three foe Pokémon, collectively sending them tumbling back.

_**3**_

"And the winner of Round One is our Champion!" Theodore exclaimed out as he grinned forward, eliciting yet another scream of approval from the audience as they watched. The attacking Blastoise retracted its cannons and grinned similarly before turning to face its smirking Trainer. The pair gave each other a nod and a bro fist, similar expressions on their face.

"_Woo!_ That battle was somethin' else Thee!" Pep yelled out excitedly as always. Theodore nodded in agreement with his energetic companion.

"Not the best show of sportsmanship on our challenger's side but still an impressive bout!" the aged commentator claimed as the officials escorted the scowling Daniel off stage. Steven grinned as he turned and issued a wave to his fans in the audience, the light shining on his character.

"All right!" Sally began in her own exclamation, grinning confidently as she brought her fisted hands up excitedly. "Now it's _my_ turn!" she began before climbing over the frame to leap for the stage and to take on the grinning Champion however before she could, the lights switched off temporarily, eliciting surprised gasps all around.

Before anyone could even question the reason as to the seeming power outage, the lights switched back on again and the disorientated Steven soon found himself face to face across from another Pokémon Battler however, unlike the last one, this one was dressed in a dark brown cloak.

"Ladies and gentlemen you're back in the Viridian Trainer House where the official ICL Golden Champion Survival Tournament has gotten underway! We've just recovered the stadium lights which, mysteriously, had gone out! Now we have a second challenger that has reappeared _with_ the lights!"

"Talk about mysterious Thee!"

Steven stood on the other side of the torn up battlefield and narrowed his red eyes over, his Pokémon similarly on edge. Aerodactyl, Nidoking and Blastoise stood around their Trainer as if to protect him from this possible threat. When the cloaked figure rose up its head, its eyes glared directly at the red eyed Trainer, eliciting a suspicious frown in response. The referee walked over, a chubby man wearing a t-shirt and shorts with the ICL logo imprinted, and frowned as he regarded the cloaked man with a clap of his hands.

"I'm just here to take on the Champion. You know…" the cloaked figure began, his voice male and deep, echoing in the stadium. The stadium fell silent as it listened to this new change in drama. "For the event." the man began again as he turned his green eyed glare over to the narrow eyed Steven.

"_I know that voice."_ the red eyed Champion thought to himself in his mind as he glared back at the watching cloaked figure. _"Where have I heard that…?"_

"This is interesting!" Kimberley exclaimed forward as she smiled. "Maybe this guy can take on rabbit!" she said, giving her nickname for their red eyed friend.

"I dunno guys, I don't like this." Misty admitted as she watched with a suspicious frown and murmur, her brow furrowing as she did so. "This guy's a little familiar,"

"I must admit he _does_ bear some resemblance to someone I believe _meeting_ before…" Thomas murmured in agreement.

"Indeed!" his talking Weavile nodded as it watched, sipping a cup of tea.

"All right; what's your name?" the referee asked over in the stadium as he frowned at the dark figure. The cloaked male took his time in watching the referee before he finally rose up his hands to pull off the hood, green eyes narrowed.

"Ross Oak." the young boy gave claim to as he scowled lowly, the stadium's bright lights showing off his handsome face. The watching audience gasped aloud in a show of true surprise, even eliciting the watching Steven to broaden his eyed expression in his own shock.

"Well isn't _this_ a surprise!" Theodore began, his deep voice echoing. "It's the last Tournament's runner up and Kanto's very own Professor Oak's grandson, Ross Oak!"

"Gotta admit, he's under the rules Thee!"

"That he is Pep! A stunning upset!" the aged man agreed in a small smile forwards.

Steven chanced a smile and nodded forwards. "It's been a while Ross!" he called over.

"A year exactly." his green eyed rival replied, a hard look to his face. Steven raised a brown eyebrow at the boy's tone and facial expression. He turned his brown haired head over to exchange shrugs with his companions before turning back. "Ready for our… exhibition?" the youth added in a low and ominous tone of voice, choreographing his low and scowling expression to match his voice as he rose up a peculiar Poké Ball up horizontally. Steven narrowed his red eyes over at it.

He recognised that Poké Ball.

It was purple and had two lighter purple indentations around the ball's 'shoulders' with a white under and a similarly white 'M' painted on the front of the sphere.

A Master Ball?

"Let Round Two commence!" the referee exclaimed forward as he frowned and rose up his right, pillow-like arm. "3… 2… 1…" he began his voice, though low, echoing anyway in the large stadium. Steven narrowed his eyes and affixed himself a battle stance as he recovered his Aerodactyl and Nidoking back to their Poké Balls.

His Blastoise imitated its Trainer's own stance; its feet set apart and its left hand set forward, index finger raised vertically and its thumb horizontally as it glared. Its right arm was pulled back into itself presumably for some other purpose, fingers curled together in a fist.

Ross simply glowered back in response before grunting once as he tossed his left arm horizontally forward, the sphere exploding in a great show of fireworks and stars. The audience watched in appreciative 'oohs' and 'ahhs' as the Master Ball exploded forth.

The revealed Pokémon made Steven and even the audience gasp in wide eyed surprise.

A similarly purple coloured creature stood on the stadium floor staring back at its opponent, genetic in texture and strange to boot. Its muscle mass was incredibly limited; long but with no muscle at all to them. Its fingers were limited in number to three and were spherical in shape.

A darker shade of purple was its tail that began at its front and curved under to show the large tail waving slowly behind it. No one else either in the audience or even the commentators recognised the strange creature.

But Steven did.

"_That's _impossible!_" _the young Champion thought in a hard eyed grit of his teeth together. _"What happened to Blaine? Why doesn't _he_ have it?"_

"A strange Pokémon indeed! What creature of origin could _that_ have been from Pep?"

"No idea Thee! But it sure looks tough!"

Steven's mind and heart grew with worry as he watched the glaring cat-like Pokémon that stared back at him. It recognised him as well; he saw it in its eyes.

Maybe it still held a grudge against him for what he did to it.

Mewtwo.

"What's the meaning of this Ross?!" the young red eyed battler called over in an accusing glare. "That Pokémon isn't yours! What are you doing with it?!"

The cloaked Ross remained cool and composed however, as opposed to his previous anger in the last Tournament. "You know what they say Steven; birds of a feather." the green eyed boy replied, his voice eerily calm and his expression a very contrast to his face; a hard edged scowl. "Power tends to find itself; I thought you knew that."

His red capped rival stood on the opposite end of the field and growled lowly under his breath as he narrowed his eyes.

Ross had to have done _something_ wrong to get a hold of that Pokémon, he figured. And why did he all of a sudden come out and challenge him like this? There had been multiple occasions where he could have done ages ago but nothing had come of it.

Steven wondered if Ross had stolen that Mewtwo.

Misty gasped from the audience stands and sat forward, shocked. "That's _Mewtwo!_" she exclaimed, eyes widened. "What's it doing here?"

"What's a Mewtwo and what do I have to do to end it?" Sally exclaimed also, snapping her head 'round, annoyed at being misinformed.

"It's…" the red head began as she felt the stares of her companion on her influence the premature end of her speech. She coughed awkwardly and spoke. "It's… very strong," she admitted.

Kimberley laughed. "But surely little rabbit can take it?"

"It's _very_ strong." Misty reiterated as she turned her aqua marine eyes to face the Pokédex Holder. "I'm not sure he can if I'm honest. I'm wondering why Ross even _has_ that Pokémon."

The group remained worriedly silent as they turned to face the situation ahead of them.

Ross steadied his feet together and narrowed his green eyes forward as he raised his Master Ball to his top left, his cloak billowing with his movement. "Ready… _Steven?_" he spoke out with a hard growl to his voice as opposed to his previous calm and composed tone before.

_**4**_

Immediately Steven ordered a Protect from his similar faced Blastoise. The Water Type Pokémon brought up a wall of bright green to block the oncoming Psychic attack sent by the scowling faced clone creature, its flashing eyes narrowed similarly. As Steven stood on the opposite end of his opponent he tried to gauge his green eyed rival's intentions but couldn't seem to.

Something was wrong with his long-time friend and he couldn't pin point what.

"Fine." Ross simply spat as he turned his angry eyed attention over to the gasping audience. His mythical Pokémon followed its Trainer's vision and glared over at the stands on its left. Sally leaned back from the railing in a surprised gasp of her own as the Mewtwo glared over at her. Steven's heart caught in his mouth as he watched the brown haired boy order his next move, horror filling the red capped Trainer's body. "Psycho Cut." the Oak heir's voice similarly cut into the tension filled air, his eyes glowering at the grouped audience.

"Get out of the way!" Misty yelled as she leapt up, eyes glaring back down at the scowling Ross. "He's going to-"

The Mewtwo didn't wait for her to finish and instead swept its right arm horizontally across the air. A visible and purple coloured blade of psychic energy was thrown from the creature's arm, spinning through the air and headed for the audience. However before it could reach the screaming audience, a narrow eyed Steven reappeared through the air via his Magneton – previously released from his Poké Ball – and with his Blastoise dropping with him, the pair initiated another Protect wall, successfully blocking the Psycho Cut attack.

Ross' scowl twitched lightly as he watched, perhaps disappointed at the results of his though frightening, predictable attack. Steven snapped his brown haired head around and shouted at the audience with an urgent look on his face. "_Get out of here now!_" he simply screamed back at the public. Almost immediately the people turned and rushed to exit the stadium all in a blind panic. In amongst it all, Sally regained her previous confidence and glared down at the pair as she fingered a Poké Ball on her belt.

"You're not takin' _this_ even over!" the rambunctious girl scowled back as she pulled her arm back to assist the red eyed Champion. However the grunting Thomas stopped her by grabbing her arm.

"You can't! That Pokémon is much too powerful! We must all fall back!" he urged in his narrow eyed hard frown. Sally cringed as she turned her head around mid-battle to regard the gentleman behind her.

"But I have to-"

_DROOM_

One of Mewtwo's Psycho Cut attacks came flying once again but this time it managed to hit the audience stands, completely destroying the material and leaving a sizeable gap in the construction.

Fortunately however the only person that remained in one of the seats was a crying child who was caught and saved by the hard faced Steven atop his Aerodactyl. Ross followed his red eyed rival with a hard edged scowl to his tone, slowly and calmly as if to work out some kind of counter strategy.

Sally and Thomas grunted simultaneously as they struggled to hold their footing but the young girl had lost her own due to the eaten up stands and thus dropped forward, yelling in shock. Fortunately for her however she landed on her rear in a showy front flip, clumsily grunting as she raised herself back up to nurse her light wound.

"No! Sally, wait!" Thomas called as he lowered his hand for her to take but the girl instead shook her head and turned to run over to the torn up battlefield, a plan in place of mind by the seeming of things. The young battler ran on however, eyes set on the sight before her.

Fingering the same Poké Ball she had done before, she set her narrowed eyes forward and leapt up in a confident grin, as if to air attack the scowling Ross. She finally gained his attention and forced him to turn his head around, deliberately slowly and in a harder scowl than before, his green eyes glaring at the interruption that was Sally.

"Let's go Suckian!" she rallied forward, her sphere exploding in mid-air. A little humanoid Pokémon with dark and purple skin leapt out, grinning its razor sharp teeth intimidatingly. Ross glared at it.

A Sableye.

The green eyed boy from Pallet simply nodded his head forward and, as if by cue, the Mewtwo narrowed its shining eyes forward before raising up an arm to point forward at the pair.

"Great! Sucker Punch!" Sally ordered with a grin as she dropped to land. Her Sableye smirked forward ominously before shooting onwards and like an arrow from a bow it smashed its dark covered fist into the Mewtwo's weak physical chest.

A Supereffective attack.

The incredibly strong Psychic Type was forced back a few steps from the ferocity of the priority moved attack but it soon regained its balance and glared back at its opponent angrily as it did so. Ross' scowl grew even more terrible, as if furious at even having been attacked in the first place.

"_Destroy_ her and her _pathetic _Pokémon." the young boy growled out deeply. His Mewtwo agreed to order and the Psychic Type's eyes flared up once again. This time however it sent a flurry of orbs; the Hidden Power attack. Sally gasped as she moved with her Sableye in attempt to avoid the oncoming attack but it didn't seem likely; Ross and his Mewtwo managed to predict exactly where they'd land.

It was all over!

"_Sky Attack!_"

Sally gasped again and snapped her head up to her top left to find the wide eyed Steven descending down from the sky atop his Aerodactyl, screeching with the flashing effort it had made. Unfortunately however it didn't even seem to catch Ross' attention for the cloaked battler only rose up his right arm upwards in Steven's direction, palm outstretched. The descending red eyed rival gasped in a show of shock while Ross' Mewtwo similarly rose its own arm up in a counter.

A wall of light shot up between the Mewtwo and Aerodactyl; the Protect.

"No!" Steven yelled out, cringing in a low scowl; he could see the Mewtwo already preparing for a counterattack even as it moved to use the Protect wall.

It all happened at the same time.

As the Hidden Power orbs smashed into Sally and her grunting Sableye, the glowering Psychic Type snapped its body around and swept its arm horizontally once more for another Psycho Cut attack. This time the attack connected and sent the grunting Steven and his partner flying, rolling through the air. Ross regarded the fallen Sally with a single look of haughty disdain before turning around to face his crashing rival, eyes glaring hatefully.

The audience stands to the left were broken apart with the pair's eventual crash and Steven went with them, crushed under a rubble of rock. Ross turned his nose up in a single twitch, eyes narrowed as he did so. "Is that all you have? I know you're stronger than that."

As if woken up by Ross' magic words the rubble that Steven was crushed under blew apart suddenly and without warning, spraying rocks and dust everywhere. A single beam of energy shot out of the myriad of smoke, aiming directly for the Mewtwo. Fortunately for Ross his Pokémon shot forth a charged Aura Sphere to combat the white coloured threat, eyes narrowed on as always.

The two attacks converged in mid-air and a tough struggle began between the two; the sheer force of the attacks blew the dust away from Steven's area and revealed the yelling youth standing next to his wide eyed and open mouthed Nidoking, firing forth a Hyper Beam.

The attacks were both so powerful that they cancelled each other out and exploded in mid-air roughly and showy. However the destruction didn't stop there; from the cloud of smoke the yelling Steven leapt out, a Poké Ball in hand. He tossed it forward and leapt up to land on the creature that formed from the sphere; a narrow eyed Jolteon. Almost instantly the pair shot off like a bullet, evading the growling Ross' Psychic attack that ate up the ground they previous would have stood on.

Ross snapped his eyes to his left to watch for the Nidoking threat but it was gone, leaving only the fallen Aerodactyl instead. The green eyed battler snapped his said orbs over to watching for his enemy again but the youth had disappeared from him. The Pallet bound battler darted his eyes to his surroundings to search for the disappeared boy but it seemed fruitless and a tense silence began.

The yelling Sally behind him broke that silence by sending forth a replacement for her fallen Sableye. A Pidgeotto shot out from her Poké Ball and glared at its enemies. "Car; Wing Attack let's go!" she ordered and leapt atop her Flying Type Pokémon. The pair shot forward and Ross was forced to snap his body around in a hard edged scowl to regard them.

The Flying Type stopped its flight mid-air to smack the narrow eyed Mewtwo with its broad wings, leaving it with a bruise mark across its gaunt cheeks however the victory was short and hollow; the Mewtwo's eyes lit up and almost immediately the young girl and her creature were sent careering and yelling, rolling through the air in response.

As if on cue a beam of green coloured flashing energy shot out from the dark covered corners of the flashy stage, forcing the wide eyed Ross to switch around in surprise once more. The Signal Beam attack smashed past the grunting Mewtwo and this time the Psychic Type monster was forced back more than a few steps; it even dropped to its knees, arms rose up to block the attack with.

The attack was dazzling and flashy but the Mewtwo still rose up from the ashes of the force and its eyes glared hungrily at its prize, already tasting the kill. Ross similarly scowled and this time it grew worse; his psychological state was growing worse as he watched the dust settle to reveal the narrow eyed Steven staring back at him.

"Why are you doing this?!" the red capped boy called over above the din of his roaring attack. "And why do you have Mewtwo?!"

"I don't expect you to understand!" the cloaked Ross yelled back, his own expression angry as ever. "The Order of the Celestial Tribunal gave me this Pokémon! They recovered it from that _liar_ Gideon Blaine!"

"Order of the Celestial Tribunal…?" Steven parroted in a blinking murmur.

Come to think of it, he thought…

That cloak Ross wore bore a strange symbol. He had seen it somewhere before.

Was that from… one of his dreams…?

The red eyed Champion had no time to think about it however as the glaring Ross initiated his next attack. "Finish him off!" he ordered and jabbed his index finger forward. The glaring Mewtwo swept its arm in another Psycho Cut attack and this time it connected. Ross' eyes widened in a gasp and, quick as a flash, he worked out what his opponent was planning.

The green eyed runner up snapped his head upwards to his previously undefended position; the shut mouthed and wide eyed Steven descended down on the glaring Ross, a Poké Ball held back and his hair and red and white jacket billowing in the wind. With no other option left, the confident Champion grunted as he shot forth his next Pokémon; a huge massive creature dropped from the sphere and formed, an oblivious smile to its fanged face.

A Snorlax.

Steven rode atop it and the pair descended down on the watching Ross and Mewtwo; a tense game of chicken began between the four.

"_Body Slam!_"

As Steven's next yelled words echoed within the emptied stadium, the huge and lumbering Normal Type laid its full bearing of weight down upon the pair below it and a huge explosion smashed in between, smoke flying from the exchange. Sally coughed as she rose herself up and recovered her fallen Pidgeotto, bruised from her previous attempt to attack her opponent. She gasped continually for oxygen as she glared forward, watching and waiting for the next show.

The dust settled around the rivalled duo and surprisingly enough, the gasping Steven was halted atop the glaring Mewtwo in mid-air, a Protect wall of defence held aloft with the Mewtwo's left arm. Ross glared up at his rival hatefully and finished his next counterattack. "Finish him; _Psystrike!_" the green eyed battler yelled, his teeth grit and his scowl terrible.

The Mewtwo followed its harsh Trainer's demand and used its remaining free right arm to point at its enemy. Its eyes flashed once and Steven and his Snorlax were sent careering back in simultaneous bellows and yells. Finally, as the pair crashed into the ground Ross rose up his left arm and clenched it into a formidable fist, eyes narrowed as he did so and with his single Master Ball in the palm.

"Cowards do not _deserve_ the right to possess Pokémon…" he began lowly and his glare widened to suit his angry scowl. His Mewtwo rose its arm with its Trainer and glared silently. "It is my right to steal them away!"

As if reacting to his Mewtwo's psychic energy, Ross' Master Ball shone brightly and Steven's fallen Aerodactyl and Snorlax both shone with it before being quickly converted back into white energy. They flew through the air and joined with Ross' Master Ball, presumably becoming imprisoned within.

A kind of deafening silence fell upon the gazing and shocked Sally as she watched the exchange, unable to believe it all happening in front of her. Ross broke the silence once more by lowering the Master Ball and holding it close to his narrowed green eye, closing up on it as he spoke his next sentence.

"Gaze upon the world's most powerful Pokémon!" his deep voice echoed in the stadium, directing his little speech to whomever was left in the stadium to hear it.

Only the near unconscious Steven and the fallen Sally.

Quickly realising this, Ross lost his hard edged tone – at least to his tense muscles – and lowered the Master Ball but not his scowl. He began a march forward his Mewtwo following him via psychically levitating through the air, its arms shining with its purple psychic power. Sally grunted as she attempted to stand but the pain was almost unbearable; she shook with the previous force from Ross' last attack and gasped continually for air as she scowled back at the walking battler.

He didn't pay attention to her as he passed and she yelled, as if to gain that attention; she tossed a Poké Ball down and it crashed open. "Marginvade!" she called her Pokémon's nickname. It looked to be a Grass Type and another foreign one not native to Kanto or Johto. It stood on its small legs and smirked superiorly up at the similarly arrogant Ross.

A Servine.

Finally however the emerald eyed Ross snapped his eyes around and halted his march temporarily to glare at the pair.

Silence started between the two; uncomfortable and edgy.

Though tired and bruised, Sally kept her hard and sweaty scowl adorned on her face as she glared back at the hard faced Ross.

"You don't know when to give up, do you." Ross asked monotonously, his green eyes wide and presumably angry, though calm as the night's wind. Sally didn't reply; she simply continued to stare at the older battler with a look that could kill, gasping away in previous fatigue. The Pallet bound battler flashed a look at his watching Mewtwo and the purple monster flashed its eyes once.

Sally and her Servine were sent flying once more managing to utter only a single yell as they rolled across the ground simultaneously. Ross finally turned back his attention on the gasping and coughing Steven ahead of him, his eyes only turning in his scowl. His footsteps echoed in the dark stadium as he glared, standing above the sitting red eyed Champion. His fallen Blastoise lay next to him, similarly incapacitated.

He looked down on his old rival, his lip curling in distaste as he looked at him. "That Blastoise of yours…" Ross began as he turned his green eyed glare of disapproval. "Just like its Trainer; weak. Weak and _ugly,_" the green eyed boy growled out hatefully as he glared down at the fallen Water Type, bruised and battered from the last attack.

Ross snapped his eyes over angrily to the head lowered Steven and bent down to grapple his black t-shirt. With a firm grip he lifted him upwards and snarled in the boy's gasping and bruised face.

"What do you have to say for yourself? _Champion?_" Ross hissed angrily, jerking his head forward a tiny bit at the italicised part of his sentence, his eyes quickly narrowing in and out with his speech as if to show off his pent up rage. Steven stared back down at his rival helplessly, frowning with an almost pitiful look in his soft red eyed stare. "You _lost_ to me. Everything; _everything_ you hold dear to your heart. You took _everything_ from me that day a year ago at the Plateau and I'm not talking about the Championship,"

Steven gasped again but this time in surprise. His initial instinct was to widen his eyes but he couldn't seem to from fatigue and so instead raised a brown eyebrow up. "What are you… talking about?"

Steven's question only seemed to make Ross all the angrier for he bore his very teeth at the red capped rival, growling his next words. "Something you could never understand. A concept that would _completely_ elude you. Ask your precious little _Misty;_ she'd know what I'm going through,"

Steven could only blink in a taken aback, confused state. His red eyes full of wonder and questions. "M-Misty…? But I don't-"

Ross yelled suddenly and unexpectedly drew his hand across the boy's cheek, sending him grunting to the ground at the superior battler's feet. "You're a _fool_ and you will _die_ one. Gramps always told me to go to _root_ of a problem to get rid of it." the boy coldly spat before raising up his arm, eliciting the gasping and scowling Steven to turn his head around to face the boy. Ross' eyes narrowed further in a cruel glare. "I'll destroy you first… _then _your meddling Blastoise once and for all. And then Kimberley and her Charizard. All my threats will be extinguished," he finished, this time with a growing and manipulative smirk.

"I wanna ask…" Steven huffed out as he laid his hands on the ground to his right to prevent himself from falling face first. He turned his head lightly tilted to its side as he glared back, his fiery crimson mixing with Ross' furious green. "What about your Venusaur? What about _your_ Pokémon? Why do this? I still don't under-"

"_That's just it!_" Ross interrupted lividly, veins on his neck standing out as he screamed down at the younger boy. "_You DON'T understand!_" he yelled angrily. Steven wasn't fazed however and simply glared back wordlessly. Finally Ross reacquainted himself with his calm side and sighed through his nose, allowing a final reply. "My Venusaur…" he began, curling his lip with distaste once again. "Has been presented as an offering to the Order… for this majestic creation." he turned in a grin, meaning his scowling Mewtwo. Steven's eyes narrowed again as he listened, trying to piece it together but it didn't make sense.

_Blaine_ had Mewtwo. How did this Order even get their hands on it in the first place?

Regardless it made Ross an absolute monster; even Steven's faith in his abilities to face his rival was quickly shaking.

There had to be _something_ he could do.

Ross interrupted his train of thought however and turned his head back in a heated glower. "For everything you've put me through…" he began again and rose up his head in haughty hatred. "I return ten-fold… now… Steven…" his voice started once more and his Mewtwo, slow with its Trainer's words, rose up its arm to face Steven with. The red eyed battler widened his eyes slowly as he watched a worried look etching on his face. "Disappear!"

Though the red clothed, Pallet bound boy screamed out in disbelief the attack found itself true and a kind of invisible portal opened up in front of the fallen Steven and his Blastoise. It ate up the pair and sent them spiralling in the air, dissolving away from view before finally silence was spread and the only reminder of the young Champion's existence was his red cap that was blown off his brown haired head.

Ross turned his hated glare down on it and curled his lip at it, as if disgusted by the very sight of it. Sally behind the group finally rose herself up with her fallen Servine and gasped, disorientated and bloody. She raised her head to find her brown haired opponent and his Mewtwo turning their heads to face her.

Her heartbeat froze in shock as her memory returned to her.

"You." Ross called over quietly, his voice echoing in the dark stadium. Sally gasped away as she glared back at the adept battler. He turned his fully body around and marched over, scowling roughly as he did. His Mewtwo of course, followed in his death march. "You're either very brave or incredibly stupid." he began as he scowled directly at the young girl's face. She stared back unblinking. "With _your_ level of Pokémon you attacked me, knowing what power I have under my command… it's folly," he muttered out distastefully, as if swallowing something unclean as he looked his nose down on the younger battler.

"It's… what a Pokémon Battler should do…" she shot back, sweaty and fatigued. Though she tried to remain a forefront of defence her Servine lay next to her fainted and pained. "Never give up; stand up to bullies like you." she added on as she glared. "Someone's gotta give the people hope,"

His lip turned up slowly as he listened to each of her words, growing more amused as he did so. "You sound just like _him_ and if _he_ couldn't beat me… you stand no chance." he said bluntly and with a confident grin on his face. "But… you _do_ have something. Maybe if…" the green eyed battler began uncertainly before another slow grin gained on his face. His arms rose up in front of himself to fold behind his brown cloak as he added to his words. "You live today little girl; I'll let you go today," he began again and his smirk lowered as he spoke. Sally blinked unknowingly and she opened her mouth to respond, curious.

"B-But why would you-"

"Get stronger." he requested suddenly and with a low voiced grin. Sally gasped again as she listened; all of a sudden it made sense. "You won't be hurting for opponents; the Order's presence is strong in Kanto. Prove your survival and battling skills. Maybe you can provide a better challenge 'n _he_ did," the green eyed boy ended in a chuckle as he rose up his arms to softly clap them once. His Mewtwo took it as a sign to execute some kind of move and it glowed a purple kind of colour, giving off a light hum of noise as it did so.

"What are you talking ab-"

"Don't disappoint me now." the arrogant Oak heir grinned in a low chuckle and, as if on cue, the boy and his Mewtwo both disappeared as the monster finished its strange hand weaving sign, its massive psychic energy discharging to use the move Teleport.

Ross' ominous chuckle echoed within the deserted and dark stadium, the only reminder of his presence.


	2. Recovering

**Chapter 2: Recovering**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or any of its merchandise. That honour belongs to Nintendo and Game Freak.**

_**Featured Music: "Game Explanation" – Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green OST. **__Chapter Briefing._

_** "Mist" – Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood OST. **__Scene __**2**__._

_After an officially sponsored event at the Indigo Conference League's hot spot, the Trainer House, in Viridian goes unexpectedly awry only a single survivor bar the escapees of the stadium is left alive and intact._

_A young Pokémon Trainer from parts unknown known only by her given name Sally; a little battler with more enthusiasm than experience. However she manages to catch the attention of the antagonistic runner up from the last competition; Ross Oak and secures her freedom if only for a longer while._

_With the Indigo Conference League's current Champion and his Pokémon now missing only the ICL itself and their Gym Leaders are left to combat the current threat of an organisation known only as the Order of the Celestial Tribunal. Kanto and Johto's morale is further grounded from the defection of runner up Ross Oak to the said organisation and his new acquisition of the hugely powerful monster Mewtwo._

_Added to the mystery of the missing Bill and Steven, the country must now deal with the difficulties that Ross Oak has presented along with his Order in stealing other Trainers' Pokémon that he deems fit._

_In the midst of all this, Sally gears herself up to pursue the rogue Ross to atone for her previous loss…_

_**Scene 1**_

She narrowed her eyes down at the Poké Ball on the desk next to her, rolling its small form around the oak table.

Sally's loss still stung.

She told herself again and again that she lost because her opponent wasn't only a Champion class battler but his Pokémon was also a monster.

It didn't pacify her though; the sting of defeat still niggled at her.

She growled and stood up off the chair she sat in, snatching up her small Poké Ball and belting it once more as she stormed for the cabin door. As she swung it open the small meeting group ahead of her gasped and turned their heads before smiling collectively at her.

Misty sat at the front; presumably the leader with the frowning Kimberley next to her and a similar faced if bored Kevin next to her. Onwards was the cane holding Thomas, smiling warmly up at the standing Sally. She frowned at the gathered group and walked over.

"Hi Sally; you feeling any better?" Misty asked softly, her aqua marine eyes glazed with concern. The young Pokémon battler nodded simply as she frowned, as if uncertain as to the young girl's intentions. She nodded back in response however, seemingly satisfied and added. "We're just discussing important stuff; why don't you get some fresh air? We're gonna be a while," the Gym Leader requested politely as she smiled. Sally narrowed her eyes back at the red haired Leader.

"I'm _not_ being left out of this." the pig tailed youth shot back resolutely. "I want to help,"

"But you don't even _come_ from this-" Kevin began out as he scrunched his face up in light wonder however the frowning Kimberley next to him laid a hand on his arm and shook her head. He listened to her and sighed irritably, shaking his own head as he rolled his eyes. Misty and Thomas smiled regardless and procured a chair quickly from their sides. Sally gained a tiny smile on her face and walked over to join the discussion.

"The news report's already pretty bad but we can still salvage what's left of Viridian." Misty continued this time uninterrupted as she frowned over at the small group around her. "The ICL have already called me,"

"What would _they_ want?" Kevin grunted over hatefully with his arms folded, his displeasure directed at the mention of Kanto and Johto's governmental organisation in question.

"Well as you all know, I'm Cerulean City's Gym Leader." the red haired girl claimed as she turned her head around the group. "So I have to answer any concerns they might have and, by the looks of it, this is gonna be a constant emergency,"

"What _is_ the situation?" Thomas asked as he narrowed his eyes over at the young girl. His Weavile stood next to him, its arms folded like a bodyguard as it listened. "What's going on?"

Misty turned to face him and spoke. "Operatives in dark cloaks have popped up out of nowhere and have started harassing nearby towns." the Gym Leader claimed as she frowned on forward. "They all match Ross' cloaked description at Viridian,"

"Who _are_ they?" Kimberley shot in, scrunching her face up. "I never heard of this order before,"

Misty winced softly and shrugged unknowingly. "They've taken the Indigo Conference League by surprise and if they've managed _that_… then they're certainly dangerous enough to warrant full concern,"

"Of that there is no doubt…" Thomas agreed with quietly as he held onto his raised cane in front of him. "If their power extends to Ross Oak's then we have a serious problem on our hands,"

"I wouldn't worry _so_ much about it." Kimberley offered in as she grinned, leaning back in her chair. "Kev and I know Kanto pretty well; we could always help,"

"It'd certainly help." Misty chuckled over as she smiled. "I've already been contacted by the ICL to attend a Gym Leader conference in the Indigo Plateau at the far north of Kanto." the red headed girl claimed as she slowly turned her smile into a frown, regarding the watching and listening group. "I can't help to defend Cerulean or any other city during that time so I'm gonna have to rely on you guys,"

"Say no more." Thomas smiled in a positive nod, pulling her attention over. "We will be ever attentive to the needs of your fair Kanto!" he said in his enthusiastic tone and friendly smile. Misty smiled back wearily but frowned in a blink when the grinning Sally next to her stirred to action.

"Yeah! We'll beat out those losers so fast their heads'll spin!" the little girl grinned forward confidently as she pumped a confident fist in the air. Misty blinked initially at her but breathed a soft laugh in response before shaking her head and shutting her eyes. This time it was Sally's turn to blink and she turned her head curiously at her. "What's wrong?" she questioned.

"Nothing. You're just… a little too similar to our friend that's all."

Sally's face lowered to an annoyed pout.

"All things considered I'm not sure she should be involved." Kevin admitted as he looked over with a raised eyebrow, his arms folding as he leant back in his chair. "She's just a newbie; she can't stand up to Ross let alone anyone else from this Order of-"

"I can _too!_" Sally exclaimed hotly as she stood up suddenly from her chair, face red from annoyance and her eyes narrowing over at the young man. He raised his eyebrow again in curiosity as he leant back in his chair, frowning as he did so. "And besides I was the only one that stood up to help your friend! He sacrificed himself for you guys; he might be a little arrogant but he did that for _you!_" the young girl yelled out hotly, standing up for the missing Champion.

Thomas and Kimberley visibly winced but the watching Kevin simply twitched his mouth upwards and down once, as if unaffected by the notion she presented.

"I thought for sure he could do it." Misty mouthed quietly, her red haired head held down, narrowed eyes and all. Sally lost her hard frown and turned in a curious blink. "I know I said I wasn't sure but…" she began. "He had this ability to beat the odds and whenever he was sure he could do something… he did it." she added in before turning her head up to frown back at the watching Sally. "I just don't think you have what he has to do this with," she admitted and the little Trainer's hard frown etched back on her expression.

"I might be a little more inexperienced than Steven but I _got_ what it takes!" the confident little battler shot back, strong of conviction; she emphasised her said conviction by clenching her right fist again and glaring hard at the red haired Gym Leader. Misty stared back, unabashed, but frowned softly in response as if unsure of the girl's strong claims. Seconds passed in the tense meeting room and the participating members shuffled around in their seats.

Finally, Thomas spoke up and frowned hard with his own style of conviction. "I will vouch for her,"

"But-"

"I was given witness to her show and though it wasn't much…" the deceptively young Sinnoh native claimed as he turned his head 'round to regard the grinning Sally. He spread a smile over his own face as he added onto his point. "She certainly has spunk,"

"Yeah!" Sally agreed in a rallying grin, happy at being accepted.

"I suppose she could always help out as backup or something…" Misty replied in some attempt to be flexible. Her eyes flitted over to the blinking Sally however. "But you _can't_ throw yourself in harm's way; you're still very young and not even native to Kanto." the Leader claimed. Sally, excited at just being accepted in the group, nodded exuberantly. "Thanks," she added however and smiled appreciatively as she did so in the end to her sentence.

"You _got_ it!" Sally grinned confidently. "I'll knock those creeps so far outta the country they'll be crawlin' across the _water_ to get away from me!" she exclaimed exuberantly, eliciting a rallied smile from most of the listeners.

"So what's the first order of business?" Kevin wondered aloud nonchalantly as he observed his fingers in an uninterested frown.

"Well, I have to get ready for my meeting but I want you guys to stay on the alert; Viridian _could_ get attacked again. What's more, Bill and Steven are missing." Misty replied, frowning over at the young man on her right. "I don't want anyone taking any unnecessary risks 'till I get back-"

"I can look for them!" Sally offered enthusiastically as she grinned back, arms in the air. Misty turned her head and blinked initially before frowning weakly in response. Even the rest of the group could only shake their heads at her quizzical expression. "What?" she asked, unaware of their opposing thoughts.

"We're not sure that's the best course of action to take Sally." Thomas spoke up softly and in retaliation to her own offer. Her hard pouting frown returned and she folded her arms childishly. "If any of these cloaks are as strong as Ross was, you'd need to be constantly watched and guarded just to be effective and even then… there's too many variables in this for _anything_ to be effective anymore until we get some sort of idea as to their real strength. For all we know they're even stronger than Ross is right now," the Sinnoh native explained. His Weavile nodded, arms folded and eyes shut in silent agreement.

"No fair." the black haired battler muttered out in a pouty faced whine but made no more attempt to oppose the group as was.

"So it's settled! Would you like anyone to accompany you to the Indigo Plateau?" Thomas asked as he smiled over at the frowning red head however she shook her said head and smiled.

"I'll be fine; long as I'm careful." the Gym Leader claimed before she stood up and pushed her chair back, smiling as she did so. "Guys… be careful. We don't know the limit this order will battle to; Ross tried to kill those people at the stadium back there and if he's willing to do _that_…"

"Don't worry; we'll be fine." Kimberley offered in her own calm smile. Misty was put at ease even if only by a bit; she smiled and nodded. "Long as we don't walk into their traps and all," she added in a light chuckle, eliciting a small grin from the listening Kevin.

"All right; I'll get ready to leave now. Kimberley; I want you to-" Misty began in a light frown as she turned her head over to regard the young woman on her right however a knock at the cabin door made everyone stiffen, as if on instinct.

The group exchanged worried looks before Sally rolled her eyes and leapt forward. "_I'll_ answer it," she moaned.

"Wait!" Misty gasped, reaching for the young girl but it was too late; the lithe little girl had opened the cabin door. Everyone around watched in growing horror but their fears were soon alleviated as when the door opened, a grunting blue skinned Pokémon fell face first forward, landing at the wide eyed Sally's feet.

It was bruised and beaten up, as if it had just gone through a tough battle even to the point of exhaustion. It took Sally a few moments to recognise the fallen shellfish Pokémon but to the group behind her they recognised it instantly.

"Blastoise!" Misty gasped, aqua marine eyes widening at the sight of the beaten creature. She rushed past the stricken Sally and leaned down to catch the fallen Water Type. She grunted under its massive weight however and turned her red haired head around to nod upwards in obvious gesture for help. Sally finally snapped out of her initial shock and leapt forward to help but she was pushed out of the way by a hard frowning Kevin.

"You'll just get in the way!" he shot at her and she glared but said nothing.

Thomas also gave a helping hand and grunted similarly as he took the fallen Blastoise's legs. With Kevin on its main shell and Misty on the Pokémon's top head side, the trio lifted the mammoth up. With some effort they shuffled across the small cabin and placed the near unconscious Water Type on a sturdy enough table to hold the lumbering shellfish Pokémon.

Kevin cussed as he wrenched his hands free of the creature and blew on them. "Good _Mew_ it's strong!"

"Indeed." Thomas began in a lamenting, sighing tone. "It looks strikingly similar to our missing companion's Blastoise,"

"That's because it is." Misty gasped out in light fatigue; her physique not suited to carrying the water behemoth. "I know this Pokémon personally; for it to be at death's door like _this_…" the red haired Gym Leader began in a light cringe.

Kimberley nodded. "We're gonna have to up our game if we even wanna stand a chance,"

"But wait!" Sally exclaimed as she turned and stood on her tip toes to look over the battered and bruised Blastoise, eyes wide with concern. "Why is it here?"

The group remained silent; exchanging worried looks.

"Maybe it means rabbit got away somehow," Kimberley offered in, a low murmur to her voice as if uncertain in her claim.

"Perhaps…" Thomas murmured in kind, raising one of his fingers to his chin thoughtfully. "It could just be that Ross' attack had sent him careering simply into another area that had, though unwillingly, separated him from the cloaked group." he offered at attempt to explain, raising his head as he did so. "Of course it's just a theory,"

"But a plausible one master!" the young man's Weavile grinned in agreement next to his feet, small but deadly. The gentleman turned his head down to regard his Dark and Ice dual Type Pokémon with an appreciative nod. "This Ross fellow could just be a low rank in this organisation and with it his skills in using this powerful Mewtwo Pokémon could also be relatively low,"

"Which means time's against us." Kimberley spoke in and raised her own head in a worried frown. The little Weavile nodded slowly and decisively. "We gotta move and we gotta move fast; the more time Ross has to perfect his skills with his Mewtwo the less chance we have of beating him,"

"Just Megahorn the fucker; that oughta be enough," Kevin offered lazily, his eyes drooped as he ran a pinkie in his ear. Kimberley rolled her blue eyes at him.

"Mind finding a Pokémon fast and strong enough to do that with?" she questioned and he raised his blinking eyes with a curious expression. "Yeah I thought so." she finished in a hard grin.

"In any case…" Thomas interrupted with an audible cough. "Misty! You should go prepare for your meeting with the rest of Kanto and Johto's Gym Leaders. You can count on us to look after your friend's Blastoise," the Sinnoh native smiled as he hit his fist up against his chest softly. Sally grinned in a similar nod as she turned to face the Cerulean guard, Kimberley similarly smiling in agreement. Kevin shrugged but after a quick elbow jab from his companion he nodded in a frown.

"Thanks guys, really." the red haired Gym Leader smiled in a chuckling relieved tone. "I _really_ appreciate it,"

"Yeah! What would ya do without us huh?" Sally grinned happily, folding her arms as she did so. Thomas and Kimberley chuckled down at her show of confidence and exuberance before Misty finally moved to action.

"Try not to scare it." she said in a smile, obviously meaning the unconscious Blastoise. "Oh and it answers to 'Oblivion'; see you guys in a bit!" the red haired girl grinned as she turned and ran off, presumably to get things ready. Sally turned her head around curiously at the sleeping form of the Water Type.

"Oblivion huh?" she murmured out, frowning up at the Pokémon. "Hi Oblivion." she greeted and stood up on her tip toes to smile down at the bruised monster below her. "I know you're hurting right now but we're gonna look after you." she said in a cheery but soft tone, smiling as she did so. Thomas turned and exchanged a curious raised eyebrow with the similarly watching Kimberley and Kevin.

"Careful honey." Kimberley grinned over as she bent on her knees and turned her head next to the energy filled Trainer. "Blastoise may wake up,"

"But it's not-"

And as if being called awake by the blue eyed battler from Pallet, the Blastoise's eyes shot open and it grunted wide awake. The group switched their heads 'round in light surprise of their own but little could have prepared them for the Water Type's sudden and surprisingly lithe leap backwards off the table. It landed and its two huge cannons shot out from its shelled shoulders, gasping away in terrible fatigue as it did so. It glared at the group initially for a few seconds, as if unsure of their intentions and their identities.

"Blastoise it's us." Kimberley began as she stepped forward and stood on the other side of the table, smiling as she offered a hand forward. "Remember?" the young brown haired girl smiled forward. Even then however the wary Blastoise did not relax; it glared suspiciously at the group, as if worried they might be imposters in an attempt to trick it.

However, and finally, the Water Type monster relaxed its position as it noticed the frowning Misty walking into the room from its right, watching the scene with a worried blink. Instead of her previous clothes, she wore this time clothing suited to travelling. Loose fitting simple black trousers hung around her legs, a bright yellow shirt and a short aqua blue vest over her shirt. A Cascade Badge necklace hung over her neck, perhaps for a sense of luck and finally a similarly blue and green back pack hung on her back.

"Oblivion!" Misty smiled over and the Water Type gasped out as it gave vent to a small smile of its own, lowering its cannons back into its shell; any kind of threat gone. The red haired Gym Leader smiled further as she walked over and embraced the bruised Blastoise in a friendly hug. As she pulled back she frowned sadly at the beaten beast. "You look in really bad shape," she simply stated.

The Blastoise cringed and nodded. "Blast," it agreed its voice deep.

"Doesn't mean it can't be fixed." the red head began as she smiled and turned her back pack ahead for procuring. With a flick of her wrist she managed to pull out a Hyper Potion from the bag and held it over the frowning Blastoise. Finally receiving an approving nod from the Pokémon she sprayed the potion over it and a few seconds later, the bruises and cuts soon disappeared from the monster's body.

"Wow!" Sally mouthed as she watched the medication do its work, truly wowed by the contraption and the power it possessed. Kimberley, Kevin, Thomas and Misty all exchanged curious glances.

"Haven't you ever seen a Super Potion before?" Kimberley asked, raising a brown eyebrow up.

"Nuh-uh! Where I come from, we heal our Pokémon with care and time!" the little girl smiled in her explanation. "We don't have any o' that high tech stuff; we do things from the heart!" she grinned as she smashed a capable fist against her chest.

"That explains a lot." Kimberley chuckled good naturedly and humouredly as she grinned back, folding her arms down at the confident little girl. "I must admit you have a lot of enthusiasm." the Wanderer grinned on as she folded her arms down at the girl. "It can help you along the road if you're serious about this… are you?" she asked again and raised her eyebrows up.

Sally grinned back and bent herself down as she clenched her two fists in a show of exuberance and excitement. "You better _believe_ I am!" she shot back strongly. "I'm gonna blow these kidnappers out o' the water!"

"Well she certainly has a lot of energy about her," Thomas spoke in an approving chuckle as he stood up straight, gripping his cane forward.

"I guess so," Kevin murmured out, disinterested by the exchange and a bored look on his face.

Kimberley's grin grew as she watched the look in the young girl's eyes below her. "I'm gonna do it." she finally opened her mouth to speak. "How do you feel about coming with me? I can help you get better so we can face this threat together!" Kimberley smiled forward as she issued a hand forward to be taken. Sally initially blinked and frowned before shutting her eyes and raising her hands up rest behind her head.

"Thanks but no thanks; I got this," the confident little girl shot back as she turned and began to head for the door. Misty, Thomas and Kevin were left in wondering blinks and frowns before Kimberley finally spoke back up.

"I can help you beat Ross." the Wanderer added over. Though her voice was soft, it gave the effect desired and Sally froze almost instantly as Ross' name was mentioned. Unbeknownst to the group, her eyes shot open and narrowed forward as she listened further. "I've known him for a long time; enough to help you beat him,"

Silence cascaded around the group's shoulders like soundless waterfalls before the narrow eyed foreigner snapped her body around and glared decisively at the watching Kimberley. Finally she walked over and rose up her own hand to grab the brown haired girl's. With the agreement made they both nodded and Kimberley grinned as they did so.

"This is great!" she grinned. "We need all the help we can get!"

"Pff!" Sally replied in an immature grin as she wrenched back her hand, placing them up against her head. "I'll be _all_ you guys need! So come on, let's go!" the grinning Sally exclaimed as she turned and ran out for the door. Kimberley was left in a raised eyebrow and a turn of her mouth amusedly.

"Well at least she's _confident_." Kevin lamented in a sigh as he watched her leave, his own arms resting behind his head. Thomas chuckled and the two walked off in following the young girl, Thomas' Weavile close behind its Trainer.

"Do you think she can do it? Are you sure this is the best option?" Misty asked uncertainly as she turned to face the similar aged girl next to her. Kimberley shrugged initially and smiled as she placed a hand on her hip.

"It's our _only_ option Misty." Kimberley sighed back as she watched the group walk out. "You've got commitments with the ICL, Bill and Rabbit are missing and I don't think us as we are now – even collectively – can take Ross in a fair fight right now, let _alone_ what else this order thingamajig has in store for us,"

Although her speech was long, her words were key and Misty nodded sombrely. "I wish Steven were here, heck Bill too." the red headed Gym Leader murmured out as she turned a forlorn gaze down. "They'd know what to do,"

"Hey chin up!" Kimberley grinned back as she playfully flicked the girl's chin, eliciting a blink in response. "Things could be a lot worse! For all we know, Rabbit and Bill are still alive! You _know_ how tenacious they are," she grinned and Misty chuckled wanly, brought back from the precipice once again.

"Yeah," she agreed.

"Good! Now let's go! We can walk you part of the way but after a point we gotta split up to get to Sally's training!" Kimberley exclaimed as she began her march forward, ever optimistic. As she led the smiling Misty by hand, the young Gym Leader was left to her own worrying thoughts about current and future events.

_**2**_

"This is a royal fucking mess." the Indigo Conference League's CEO moaned for the umpteenth time that day as he walked through the company's headquarters in Kanto and Johto's Indigo Plateau.

His secretary, a young woman called Rachel, gasped as she tried to keep up with his angry storm through the towering offices of the ICL. Like him she wore a business dress more suited for her gender however and her blonde hair was put up in a ponytail with a fraction of it spilling down over her half-moon glasses and her two ears' sides.

When he passed through the many office assistants and busy workers he glared, growled and glowered as walked on, daring anyone to even attempt to begin a conversation with him. Fortunately for them as they passed him with wads of paper documents in hand and other such office equipment they stayed their tongue.

Even from greetings.

The joint country's governmental leader had gotten a horrid name and reputation for himself for being extremely difficult to work with. His harsh policies on the peoples of Kanto and Johto were recognised but not so bad as to warrant any kind of unrest.

Regardless however he had become an unpleasant sight to most of the dwellers of the world and even the neighbouring regions' leaders – such as Hoenn or Sinnoh – had become tired of dealing with him.

To date, the only secretary that the CEO has employed to be able to keep up with him was the poor young woman Rachel. She was meek, timid, pleasant and well mannered; exactly what suited the abusive, slightly overweight man.

As he passed the reception at one of the many floors in the big building he walked in, he set his sights on the small interview room to his front. He turned his balding head around to the young woman behind him and issued a dismissing nod. She nodded meekly and turned away, presumably to continue work on another matter.

The CEO turned his head back and glared in at the open glass of the room to find everyone he had called previously sitting in their designated chairs, talking civilly amongst one another. He huffed out air through his nose roughly and stormed on in his continuing glare. As he approached the room and entered the group of people halted their discussion at his presence, turning their calm eyes over at him.

Four people were situated in the small room. Three of them sat in the well-designed chairs that surrounded the lavish table while a single person stood, leaning against the wall. The CEO turned his head to mentally inspect them all to be sure they were all present.

A purple haired woman sat elegantly in a seat on the table's right, smiling behind her own fashionably designed glasses. Her arms were folded and her elegantly toned legs crossed, pushing her thigh level purple skirt up with them. A black single striped vest was worn across her chest, the single stripe a little brighter but still dark.

Lorelei, a member of Kanto's Elite Four.

A man, unlike his feminine companion sat across from her, muscular arms folded toughly. He boasted an uber strong six pack which could bear no shirt to hide his magnificent form. His only pieces of clothing were long white tattered trousers and arm bracers, presumably for his training. His hair also resembled the ICL's Gym Leader Brock Slate's in that it was spiky at its ends, like a star.

Bruno, another member of the Elite Four.

Seated next to Lorelei was another woman but this one was much older. She carried a smirk on her old features however to show off her cunning and snippy attitude. The old woman also wore a long purple dress with a white over coating over the lower front of her dress. The top also received a layer but it housed a jewel of some sort of standing to indicate importance. Finally a brown and wooden cane was held in both arms by the elderly woman, even in her seat.

Agatha, the final member of the Elite Four.

Finally the leader of the Elite Four was propped up against the wall at the end of the small meeting room. The CEO glared down at him; a flame haired young man, standing on end and spiky, as if alight. He wore a uniform suited for battle with boots and a dashing cape to match, held up by a golden chain around his neck. As he raised his flame haired head up slowly and coolly from his spot he frowned back at the ever rage filled CEO.

Lancelot Droika, or Lance, the leader of the Elite Four.

"I trust you all realise why I gathered you all here today." the CEO began finally and in a surprisingly calm tone as he walked over to shut the blinds on the small meeting room. As he turned the switch to the room's lights on, he glared at each and every member of the elite fighting force, watching for any sign of reply.

"I was hoping you could tell me." Agatha's raspy but smirking voice cut into the air like knife through butter. The chief executive officer's hard scowl returned almost instantly, as if set off and he turned it on the giggling old woman. "Settle down oh great governmental leader!" the impudent old woman began as she raised her arms up with her cane, as if to ward off a Dragon Type Pokémon. Her low grin returned however as she spoke with a more malevolent tone to her voice. "You never know when those in politics look to swipe your glory from you in _these_ kinds of situations," she smirked and the CEO calmed down if only for a moment.

He glared at her and regained his calm breathing before turning his head around to the force as a whole. "I'm sure you're all aware of the damage that has been done to our new facility in Viridian." he began in his hard edged frown. No one spoke but gave indication they were listening, bar the shut eyed Bruno and Lance. "Ross Oak, runner up of the last competition has attacked the complex and the citizens that attended. It's all over the news and the _fucking_ papers." he growled out as he walked over to the window beside the grinning Agatha, slapping up a pile of papers into the air with his backhand. He joined his hands together behind him as he glared forward out the cracks of the office's blinds, as if watching for some kind of enemy spy. "And worst of all he has that _abomination_ that Team Rocket created a year ago,"

"Mewtwo…" Lorelei murmured her eyes hazy behind her glasses.

"Yes… _Mewtwo_." the CEO parroted angrily and lowly as he glared. "Clone of a ghost and a dead one at that. As if _that's_ bad enough the little _fucker's_ gone and joined a secret society that have helped procure him that Mewtwo." he continued, grinding his teeth in his growing anger. "We're a fucking _laughingstock_." the crude man growled lowly and angrily. "I'm having to pull all the strings I can to avoid any kind of turmoil between the other countries. This order looks to perpetrate things,"

"They're certainly very interesting." Lance murmured in response, turning his own head down. "I can think of no record in Kanto _or_ Johto's history that explains any of these attacks,"

"Indeed." the CEO agreed with quietly as he scowled forward. "They're ghosts in every sense of the word. People have reported seeing figures in cloaks attack the neighbouring towns and cities but they retreat just as quickly as they attack so no one can even identify them," the man spoke quickly and angrily, his voice showing his hatred for the group already.

Lance looked thoughtful and narrowed his eyes darkly as the overweight man spoke, as if recognising something that he mentioned.

"You know…" Bruno finally spoke up, his eyes shut and his rough texture speaking for him. He turned his head 'round only lightly and glared at Lance on his left, arms folded toughly. "Don't you Lance?"

The group collectively turned their own heads to the scene and raised eyebrows, curious. The Elite Four's leader raised his flame haired head and frowned hard back at them before finally answering. "Yes." he said. "Though it's just a legend,"

"Tell us," Lorelei simply requested as she looked over with an amiable frown on her face, inviting and calm as ever. Lance looked thoughtful as if wondering whether he should or not, exchanging looks between them all. The CEO joined his hands behind his back as he glared, his head held low.

"I would advise you to take Lorelei's advice Lance." the governmental leader advised, his voice taking on a warning tone to suit his low but calm scowl. "To withhold information is paramount to treason in the Indigo Conference League but then…" he began as he narrowed his eyes forward. "I'm sure you're aware of that… aren't you?" the man whispered out, a dangerous tone to his voice as he glared.

Lance watched him for a good few moments before opening his mouth to respond. "There's information in the libraries in Cinnabar I was reading years ago. There's an old legend of a cult that terrorised the Sevii Islands not far from here,"

"A cult?" Agatha snorted as she grinned and listened. "Don't you mean a nuthatch?"

"I don't remember much about it but I know it happened centuries ago; before any of us were even born," Lance answered, ignoring Agatha's question in favour of explanation.

"You're suggesting that this order that Ross Oak has joined has been surviving for centuries?" Lorelei asked an inquisitive frown on her docile face. Lance nodded, similarly calm.

"As I say I don't remember much but…" the Dragon Type specialist began as he lowered his head, shut his eyes and shrugged. His cape moved with him. "I _do_ know that what happened at the Viridian City Facility also happened centuries ago; this cult mentioned in the writings were responsible," the man claimed as he rose back up his head and narrowed his eyes, as if confidently sure of himself and his claims.

The group watched him for a few moments before the CEO turned back his body to face the blinded window, arms held behind him. "I see." he replied, eyes glaring. Thoughts whirled around in his head as to possible courses of action given the limited information he had received. "And this is all you know?"

"Yes Sir." Lance responded simply. The Elite Four all turned to regard their superior watching the blinds. When he finally spoke, he turned around the address them.

"We've been extremely lucky that no one has been injured or killed but there is still the matter of the missing William Rivers and Steven Murray." the CEO began as he frowned hard at the Elite Four members. "I want you all to begin an investigation immediately; Lorelei and Agatha. You two will search for the missing persons; wait for an opportunity to get the information from one of these hit and run cult members. I don't care if you have to _kill_ to get it," the man began in a spitting glare.

Lorelei nodded in a calm frown but Agatha smirked impudently as she usually did. "Yes your lordship," she shot back sarcastically. The CEO's scowl twitched but he gave no more indication to waste any more time on anger for the moment.

"Bruno, I want you to engage the enemy wherever they show up; Lance will assist you." the man claimed. "Give no quarter but be smart; do not give them _all_ you have to bear. Make them curious and make them attack again and again. Defend the towns in such a way that little to no damage is done but hold back doing it." the CEO explained his demanding request, eyes narrowed. "They will slip up eventually and when they do we will pounce on them,"

Bruno nodded wordlessly, the request little more than extra work to him.

"Sir…" Lance began inquisitively.

"What is it?"

"What about Team Rocket?" he asked and the CEO's bored scowl turned to a raised eyebrow frown.

Ah yes, he thought.

Them.

The overweight man's eyes narrowed as he responded. "Yes…" he began, his lip turning as if in disgust. "We'll have to keep an eye out for those chancers; they may take the opportunity to lay waste to the towns and ourselves,"

"But Sir; your agreement with them-"

The CEO was on Lance in an instant; he stormed over and wrenched the Dragon warrior's battle uniform before lifting him up to his own eye level glaring hatefully back down. Lance gave no indication he was afraid and instead frowned back up at him. "No one is to speak of that matter ever again. Do you hear me? _No one_." he finished in a hateful hiss before roughly pushing the young man up against the wall.

The Dragon warrior grunted lightly but stared after his superior with a simple frown, the rest of the Elite Four following with their own stares as he made his way to the room's door. As his hand gripped the doorknob he turned his head to regard the group one last time, glaring as he did so.

"Failure is _not_ an option." the chief executive officer of the ICL stated roughly and with a glaring scowl on his face as he did so. Receiving no reply bar the stares of the Elite Four he opened up the meeting room's door and left, slamming it behind him decisively.


	3. Setting Out

**Chapter 3: Setting Out**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or any of its merchandise. That honour belongs to Nintendo and Game Freak.**

_**Featured Music: "Game Explanation" – Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green OST. **__Chapter Briefing._

_** "Bramble Blast"; Sally's Theme – Super Smash Brothers Brawl OST. **__Scene __**1**__._

_** "Battle!**__**SIM Trainer" – Pokémon XD and the Gale of Darkness OST. **__Scene __**2**__._

_The situation has been analysed._

_Ross Oak, previous runner up of the ICL's last Regional Championship, has turned his allegiance instead to a strange group that has been in hiding until now; the Order of the Celestial Tribunal. The Order has begun terrorising Kanto and to make matters worse, Ross has been fitted with the cloned behemoth that is Mewtwo._

_World renowned technician Bill and Regional Champion Steven are missing, the latter thanks to Ross' involvement. The fate of the joint country now lies within the hands of its government, the Indigo Conference League and a small group of Pokémon Trainers; Thomas Walker, Kevin Carlton, Kimberley Hauklen, Misty Waterflower and Sally Yi. _

_This new organisation frightens and baffles the denizens of Kanto and Johto as the information on the cloaked Trainers are scarce and limited, almost to zero. Sally remains ever confident however that she can beat these terrorisers even after her harrowing defeat by the all-powerful Ross. She makes Ross her target in a fierce bid for self-improvement and decides to join the small alliance of Trainers in combating the threat of the Order._

_Sally gears herself for her greatest challenge yet…_

_**Scene 1**_

Sally smiled as she lay on the grass face up, arms cradling her head as she did so. She stared up at the bright blue sky in a calm sort of expression; warm and inviting as the sun beat down on her. Her similarly smiling Servine also lay on her lower stomach, curled together in a ball, clearly enjoying the heat as a Grass Type Pokémon would.

"Such a beautiful day." she murmured in her open toothed smile, watching the clouds pass overhead slowly, their business fleeting. "What do you think Marginvade?" she asked the sphere of grass in her lap, grinning as she lowered her head to face the Pokémon as well as she could given her situation. The creature let out a tired yawn in response and chose not to raise itself. "Lazy little monster." she chuckled well heartedly and turned her attention to the sky above her. She frowned this time however and her eyes found themselves attracted to the hunched form of the Blastoise that had joined her previously.

It stood hunched over the clearing and below her to her right, watching the river of water below almost solemnly. Sally's expression turned soft and she pitied the poor Water Type. Although she had focused on beating its confident Trainer she couldn't help but feel for the poor Pokémon; in a flash its master was stole away from it and it was forced to fend off for its own.

She could only imagine how the poor thing must feel right now.

Misty, Thomas, Kevin and Kimberley were all still sleeping in their tents that they had brought with them.

Sally nodded; she could at least manage in time before they wake up.

Here goes…

With a renewed resolve to help the forlorn Blastoise, Sally frowned and picked up her Servine. She placed it on the grassy field next to her and it let out a soft and cute yawn before curling itself back up into a grassy ball. She gave her Pokémon a final smile before frowning again and strutting over to the hunched Blastoise, her arms raised to rest behind her head care freely.

"Hey!" she greeted in a friendly tone, smiling at the back of the shellfish Pokémon. It stiffened once, as if frightened by her presence before half turning its blue head to lay a single eye on her. It frowned before turning back its head to the water ahead and below it, as if dismissing her. Sally's smile was lost to an initial pout but she smiled and soldiered on. "Whatcha up to?" she smiled and bent down to sit next to the turtle creature.

It regarded her with a sharp turn of its narrowed silver eyes suspiciously before turning back wordlessly. Sally made a face, confused at the Blastoise.

"How ya feelin'?" she tried again, smiling warmly at the water monster. The Pokémon made an irritated grunt however and stood up.

Completely gobsmacking the young girl it turned and walked off a few paces down the low grass hill before turning back and plonking itself on the grass, resuming its staring contest with the surface of the water below it.

"Tch! Fine!" Sally exclaimed out as she folded her arms and forced herself up to pout over at the glaring Blastoise. "Ya wanna be like that then be my guest!"

"It's not the Pokémon's fault,"

"Gah!" the startled Sally yelled out as she flailed her limbs to her left in a frenzied motion to cope with the sudden appearance of the frowning and sad faced Misty on her right. The red head turned her own head to watch the solemnly staring Blastoise pityingly.

"Think how it must feel, what it must have seen." Misty offered as a soft explanation. Sally lowered her defensive front and blinked in wonder as she turned to examine the solemn Pokémon. It gave no indication of knowing it was being stared at or simply just didn't care. "It's been separated from Steven; they were close. Very close." the red head claimed as she watched the Blastoise sadly. The said Pokémon narrowed its eyes down at the water's surface and glared on, as if watching something in its own reflection.

Sally remained silent as she turned to watch the Pokémon in question, as if considering the red head's claims before she frowned apologetically. "Sorry,"

"Don't apologise; it's not your fault." the Gym Leader chuckled in a warm hearted smile as she turned her head to face the young girl next to her. "What we _really_ have to do is get our butts moving; the faster I get to this meeting at the Indigo Plateau the better,"

"Agreed!"

The pair turned to find the smiling Thomas standing next to a similar faced Kimberley and an irritated looking Kevin, probably at being roused early in the morning. Sally smiled in response as she watched between the trio.

"Are we all ready?! Let's go already!" the enthusiastic young girl grinned over at the little growing group ahead of her. Kimberley rolled her eyes but grinned regardless, eliciting an amused chuckle from the watching Thomas and a simple staring frown from Kevin.

"All right let's go people." Misty laughed out softly as she turned and affixed her back pack up, heading for Route Twenty Two and thus the road to the Indigo Plateau.

* * *

Tabitha giggled throatily as she watched the group of Pokémon Trainers below from her perch of rock on Route Twenty Two. She was successfully hidden in amongst the rocks' and sun's glaring shadows, being able to enact her espionage mission with all the more ease.

"Why did you even _send_ me on this?" Tabitha grinned as she raised her head up to watch the walking group below her in a superior like expression. "They're _clearly_ not worth my time. And those _men_ down there…" she began again, her grin turning to a disgusted snort and scowl. She watched the two brown haired males walk alongside the women, contrarily dressed to one another. Her blonde eyebrow rose however when she saw the lone Pokémon out of its ball following them if but from a distance. Its silvery eyes looked a little curious, nervous even as if expecting an attack.

When Tabitha saw what the Pokémon was she smirked again.

"Blastoise, oh little Blastoise…" she began and giggled throatily once more as she grinned down at the miserable looking Pokémon. Her voice ended in a suggestive hiss as she glared. "You're _mine._"

_**2**_

Oblivion narrowed its silvery eyes across its surroundings, always just a little bit nervous and it wasn't the group it travelled with that did it to him.

He felt something, _somewhere_ and especially around him was watching him.

But why and what for?

Could it be the same group that targeted his master…?

It was certainly possible.

The bulky Blastoise wanted urgently to get off the road and into a hiding place of some sort but he couldn't alert the group; the little newcomer would no doubt take it the wrong way.

Oblivion could only hope they were left alone.

Almost as if to challenge that naïve thought, the Blastoise's eyes widened and it snapped its body around behind itself. They caught onto movement and noise, too small for the average human to hear, directed above itself. Somewhere hidden in the rocks overlooking their current position, it was there waiting and watching.

Oblivion guessed with some probably sick sense of self-satisfaction too.

Misty seemed to notice its transfixed gaze and turned her red haired head over, blinking and concerned. "What's wrong Oblivion? See something?" she asked and traced the Water Type's gaze. Sure enough the Blastoise slowly nodded in an urgent expression and Misty almost saw what it was getting at. "Oh no…" she murmured.

"What, what?! What's going on?" Sally grinned enthusiastically in as she turned to face the pair. The laughing Thomas, Kimberley and Kevin all turned their heads in similar blinking frowns.

But they were all too late.

A sudden barrage of rocks were sent careering into the group's current perimeter and some of those rocks, perhaps strays, struck the gasping men across the head and forced them down unconscious.

"No!" Misty exclaimed, fear quickly taking hold. Kimberley growled and spun around, eyes darting around herself as she reached for a Poké Ball. Sally and Oblivion both gave similar expressions and affixed themselves a battle stance.

"I didn't think you'd be that easy to ambush!" a feminine voice interjected in the deep tension that existed within the group. "You really _shouldn't_ travel with males; they're not very good out of their leashes,"

"Come out coward!" Sally challenged hotly, eyes darting around the source of the voice.

"So _cruel!_" the woman's voice played and the group of three girls heard a laugh and a grin in her voice. "How could you say something like that? To one of your own sisters too!"

"You heard her!" Misty urged on as she glared up at the source of the voice. "Show yourself." she spoke. Finally the woman walked out of the darkness of her hiding spot and was shown in the full light of the morning sun.

A tall form dressed in a long white cloak, just like Ross'. A symbol like the one on his cloak was also visible. Sally narrowed her eyes up at it and glared.

This was one of the members of the group that was terrorising Kanto.

She wore a hood over her head to block any unnecessary attention to her face. It made the watching girls ever more wary of the woman above them. Finally however, and as if realising their collective thoughts, the woman grinned as she raised her arms to lower the hood down. Her face was revealed.

"Hello girls." she greeted in her grin. A soft face marked with light makeup across her cheeks and lipstick. Her long blonde hair was also halved into twin ponytails that cascaded down her back, the fringe coming down forward close to her eyes. It showed off her beautiful looks as if on stage. "You're all so _very_ pretty for your age; why do you travel with _those?_" she asked and nodded her head upwards, directing her comments down to the fallen and unconscious Thomas and Kevin next to them.

She referred to them as if they were animals.

"I don't know _what_ you're talking about." Kimberley responded in a growing grin of her own as she stood up straight, arms folded as she did so. The blonde woman raised a curious eyebrow up as she watched. "The only animal here is the one that so _rudely_ interrupted in our perambulating," the black dress wearing girl grinned back as she shrugged, perhaps attempting to sow unrest in the watching blonde woman. She instead glared down in a hard frown however, ever watchful.

"You shouldn't talk to one of your own like that." the woman warned, eyes narrowed at the brown haired Trainer. "Especially when I have a bird's eye view of _all_ of you," she challenged.

"Kim." Misty whispered as she walked next to the young girl in question, aquamarine eyes kept up on the woman above them. "Don't antagonise her,"

"But-"

"We don't know how strong she is. We don't want to chance a fight on this road," Misty whispered on urgently, eyes narrowed. Kimberley rolled her own but nodded in agreement.

"Come on!" Sally yelled up hotly, shaking a fist up at the blonde woman. She gained a grin to her features as she listened to the little girl. Kimberley and Misty gaped as they snapped their eyes around to the young girl on their collective right, sudden surprise and fear respectively taking hold. "Show us whatcha got!"

Before Misty or Kimberley could even get a hold on the rambunctious little girl, the blonde woman chuckled lowly and responded. "Well… if that is what you _wish_…" she replied in a suggestive low grin as she fingered a Poké Ball on her belt. The sphere opened up to reveal a Dragon like Pokémon with two crimson wings. Its body was turned blue and had markings of a similar red to its wings.

"What _is_ that?!" Kimberley yelled out, eyes narrowed up at the foreign monster, unable to decipher its origin.

"Our end if we're not careful…" Misty murmured out as she narrowed her own eyes up at the glaring creature. The blonde woman simply smirked wordlessly, as if pleased by their lack of knowledge of her Pokémon's origin. "Get back everyone!"

The woman simply giggled and sent her hand forward, open palmed and white gloved and all. The Dragon Type's aura glowed away and as it did a barrage of rocks, similar to the previous slide came rushing at them. Before they could hit the preparing group, the glaring Blastoise leapt in between with a shield of Protect. The blonde woman raised an amused eyebrow as she watched and chuckled again.

"_So_ kind of you all to show me little old Oblivion." she spoke and narrowed her eyes threateningly. "Now hand it over,"

Misty raised her red eyebrow curiously and suspiciously. "Why do you need Blastoise?" she questioned.

"Oh, no reason… we just like to collect any possible threats to our lord's power; that's all,"

"How do you know its _nickname?_" the Gym Leader asked in a hissing glare. The woman's smirk grew toothily as she replied.

"Oh… just a guess."

A kind of uncomfortable silence passed between the group and the watching woman. Tension filled the air like a bad odour and the trio of girls watched the intimidating woman above them like she was an environmental hazard. Almost as if they _knew_ the woman was lying they all glared up at her wordlessly, the air filled with tension.

"So what are you gonna do?" Sally called up in challenge, a slow grin growing on her face as she did so. Misty and Kimberley gasped soundlessly and in worry as they turned to face the young girl, silently pleading her not to carry on her sentence. "_Beat_ us?" she teased in her growing grin. The blonde woman raised her eyebrow amusedly before chuckling lowly.

"I might just do that." she murmured in a growing grin, sadistic and all. "Salamence! Crush 'em!" the woman exclaimed out as she grinned forward, an open palmed hand shot forwards in attack. Her Dragon Pokémon listened and grinned similarly to its master before shooting forth a plume of flames in the group's direction.

"Protect!" Misty yelled out. Almost immediately, the watching Blastoise leapt up to block the attack successfully with a raised shield of green light. Sally growled as she was cut off from making a decision however Misty saw it and grabbed the young girl's arm warningly. "We can't take her on! She's probably _way_ too strong!"

"I can take her!" Sally hissed, annoyed at her companion's lack of faith in her abilities.

"Misty!" Kimberley hissed over, eyes directed up at the grinning woman and her Salamence. "What kind of Pokémon _is_ that? I've never seen it before,"

"I don't know." the red head admitted. "It used a Fire Type move but it looks like a Dragon and I hear Dragons are versatile,"

"It's a Salamence!" Sally exclaimed as she turned a grin over and up at her opponent. "Dragon and Flying Type!" the black haired little girl smirked as she vaulted a Poké Ball forwards. A Chansey shot out of the ball, an unusually aggressive grin on its face, just like its Trainer. The watching blonde lost her smirk temporarily as she noted the Pokémon and her opponent's naming in her own. "Ice Beam!"

The blonde gasped and growled, eyes forward. "Protect!"

Sure enough the grinning Normal Type's beam of ice that was shot from its conjoined hands was blasted apart by the raised wall of light that Salamence had brought to life temporarily.

"Damn!" Sally hissed out as she narrowed her eyes and snapped her fingers forward.

"You're a smart one aren't you…" the blonde woman admitted, raising her eyebrow up as she frowned down at the girl. "What's your name…?"

"Like I'm gonna tell you!" she shot back childishly. The blonde chuckled and shook her head, smirking as she responded.

"My name… is Tabitha." the blonde finally introduced herself and with a mock bow of respect, smirking lowly at the group as she did so. Her blonde hair spilled over her eyes as she did so. "Tabitha K. Ringley to be precise. Now let's hear _your_ name?"

Sally looked apprehensive but relaxed soon after and though she _did_ respond, her eyes were narrowed up at the woman suspiciously. "Sally,"

"Sally…?" the woman murmured back, licking her lips as she viewed the little girl below her. "Well… it certainly _suits_ you." she said, grinning in a worrisome expression. Sally raised a wondering ebony eyebrow upwards in response but could not question her intentions further. "You'd be _very_ welcome to join our little group Sally,"

"Oh yeah and why's that?"

"Well… you have _potential._ And, of course, you're not a _man,_" Tabitha claimed, her voice dripping with venom towards her final sentence.

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?" the black haired little girl asked, clearly perplexed.

"I know guys can be stupid but jeez." Kimberley chuckled good naturedly as she raised her arms to rest behind her head.

"So you're an all-woman group huh?" Misty questioned over and up, aqua marine eyes narrowed. Tabitha's own snapped over and she seemed to curse inwardly, perhaps for revealing too much information. She sighed however, as if she knew there was nothing to be done about it.

"Yes." she claimed and smirked as she raised herself up on her legs, hand on her robed hip as she did so. "Our group works for a special goal; that goal has men hindering us and for that reason, they should not exist in this world any longer than necessary." the blonde claimed before a malevolent smirk grew on her features. "The time has come for phase one to begin," she chuckled lowly.

"So that's why you attacked Rabbit at Viridian…" Kimberley murmured out as she narrowed her sky blue eyes up at the blonde. She was suddenly painfully aware that Kevin and Thomas were very vulnerable to this woman.

"Correct." Tabitha began in her knowing grin. "Your little champion was but the greatest threat to our cause and to make matters worse he was _male,_"

Misty ignored her misandry and continued on with her interrogation. "But that doesn't explain Ross' involvement." the red head shot in with, suspicious eyes glaring up at the blonde. Tabitha raised a blonde eyebrow as she spoke, unknowing of who was she was referring to. "The boy with the Mewtwo that attacked Steven; you know him,"

"Oh yes!" Tabitha chimed as she smiled upwards in remembrance. "The little angry boy." she chuckled derisively. "Yes he wasn't hard to tame. His long standing rivalry with your champion was extremely easy to exploit; we just had to procure that Mewtwo from its unworthy hands-"

"_Blaine."_ Misty thought to herself in mid-speech as she listened, eyes narrowed.

"-and then have him eliminate him once and for all. Quite ingenious actually,"

"And why's that? He's _male,_" Kimberley teased in a turn of her voice, grinning mischievously as she did so.

"Yes true… but he'll be meeting the same fate as all the unworthy half do toward the end,"

"_Not if I can help it."_ Misty muttered in her mind as she glared hatefully up at the woman above her. "Do you _really_ think you can take us all on at once?" she shot up over at the woman, in an attempt to intimidate the blonde from attacking. Tabitha's smirk however never even left her.

"_Yes._" she whispered down dangerously and chuckled lowly as she did so. Misty growled in a sense of urgency and dread sensed in her voice. "Now all of you…" Tabitha began, her eyes slowly widening with her seeming delight in her next order. "Disappear! _Dragon Pulse!_" she exclaimed suddenly as she shot her open palm forth forward. Her Salamence listened to her next request; a plume of divine energy charged into its mouth. The energy was fired like a missile from its mouth but no less small than it; it flew for the group of girls and they yelled in wide eyed surprise.

"Get back!" Misty exclaimed eyes narrowed up at the attack before back shifting into the air desperately to avoid the attack. Kimberley, Sally and Oblivion had all been lucky enough to hear and follow her in her avoidance however as Kimberley landed she gasped and thrust an arm forward, stopped in her sudden approach to the bombsite by the narrow eyed Misty. "No; Kev!"

However even as the pair struggled, the smoke cleared and a single figure was standing in amongst it. The trio, including the watching Blastoise, all narrowed their eyes and stopped to watch. It was a slender frame – a second woman – that wore a black dress that interrupted the woman's attack; below her the ground was almost spotless in its defence. Almost nothing, including the unconscious Thomas and Kevin, were damaged in the massive attack.

The second intruder finally turned her head to regale the group with a warm smile on her face; she wore snug glasses on her face and carried a look of pure serene calmness, as if all the chaotic events around her were bounced off harmlessly.

"Hello girls." she greeted in a similarly serene tone of voice. She nodded her head over to the redheaded Misty. "Miss Misty of Cerulean Gym I presume?" she asked and the dumbstruck young girl simply nodded in reply. "Excellent." she smiled, turning her head back to the current issue at hand, her arms folded. "Then our path is clear."

"Now just _who_ are you?" Tabitha crooned over in a half annoyed, half intrigued crease of a frown over her beautiful features. "You're _certainly_ not unwelcome; you're not a _male_ at least,"

The woman simply smiled in retort. "Lorelei of the Kanto-Johto Elite Four." she introduced herself and with her seeming usual smile on her face. As the group looked over her, they found a human-shaped Pokémon standing in front of the woman, clearly protecting her and the group in extension. "Jynx; you can ease up now." Lorelei began as she turned her head down to regard her Ice and Psychic dual Type. A small grin grew on her features as she spoke. "It's nothing to get in a twist over,"

Almost immediately the listening and watching Tabitha bristled at her new opponent's comments; she scowled down at the purple haired woman. "You bear such small opinion of me, _little girl_." she spat patronisingly, her very tone sharp and venomous to suit her expression. "Let's see how strong you look covered in _fire!_ Salamence!" she began and turned her scowling head down to her similar faced Pokémon. "_Fire Blast!_"

"Grab onto me." Lorelei shot out with, firmly though calmly. She still stood in her decisive, folded armed stance and watched her enemy's Pokémon prepare its attack threateningly. Misty and Kimberley both nodded wordlessly before quickly gunning for the two unconscious forms of Thomas and Kevin. They dragged them over next to Lorelei and laid a hand over their rescuer's sides and body. As they did so, they began to glow a kind of bright aura in conjunction with Lorelei herself and her Ice Type Pokémon.

"Sally! Get over here!" Kimberley yelled over from Lorelei's left, eyes narrowed irritably. The black haired girl glared up at the charging Salamence wordlessly, her eyes narrowing and filled with intense urgency and seeming determination. However a quick turn and glare of Lorelei's own head made her gasp.

"Sally was it? Move!" she exclaimed out firmly. The young girl cringed but did as she was told; she rushed over and laid a hand on the woman's folded arm. Collectively they all turned their heads up to find Tabitha and her Salamence both glaring down at them, firing off a huge stream of fire in a specific symbol.

Lorelei turned her eyes upwards and her glasses shone in the bright fire that escalated to envelop her. "Sorry Miss. You're simply too…" she began, calm as ever, her voice a contrast to the fast approaching danger. "_Hot._" she finished, grinning lowly, her voice echoing as she did so. Immediately as her voice echoed, the large group vanished with the grown purple aura that Lorelei's Jynx had created, mere milliseconds away from the oncoming Fire Blast.

The Fire Type move ravaged the ground that the group previously stood in, Tabitha viewed it with the utmost disdain in her expression. Her earrings clinked together as she rose her head snobbishly, scowling distastefully.

"Too _hot_ am I…? We'll see about that." she muttered under her breath.

_**3**_

Sally grunted and spluttered as she was dropped from mid-air, materialising from the Jynx's previous Teleport. She rolled forwards and her body became grimy with the dust of the dark and dank cave she was now located in. Angrily, she spat out any dust or grime that managed to infiltrate her mouth before she snapped her head 'round and glared behind her.

Kimberley, Misty and Oblivion were similarly dropped from the large aura of purple coloured mist, instead landing on their rears, along with the unconscious forms of the two men. They both similarly cringed and moaned but the final member of the group – the new addition – floated down in a contrastingly show of gracefulness.

Lorelei smiled calmly, her black dress flowed with the unnatural wind that the Teleport had kicked up before. Her Jynx floated on down with her and like its Trainer, its arms were held upward horizontally, giving them an angelic portrayal. Finally as she landed, she raised her rimmed glasses to smile at the group calmly.

"I trust everyone is safe?" she asked, her voice cool and calm like the gentleness of a flowing river of water.

"Yeah… we're fine," Misty admitted, though with a cringe and a tedious tone to her voice.

"Good." Lorelei smiled once more and rose her Poké Ball up to return her Jynx. "Thank you Jynx; return." she thanked with her eternal smile. The human-shape Pokémon returned to its ball and in a form of red energy before the sphere closed shut.

As she walked ahead and past the group of youths she joined her hands under her elbows stylishly, the dripping of the cave's water echoing with each step she took. Sally's annoyance at the woman grew as she watched and the young girl could no longer hold her tongue.

"Where do _you_ get off?" Sally shot back as she stood up off the grimy floor to put her hands on her hips. She glared at the previously smiling Lorelei and even scowled in annoyance. "I had that in the _bag_ before _you_ showed up and interfered!" she exclaimed hotly.

"I only did what was necessary Miss." Lorelei answered, cool as a cucumber. "Without my intervention, you all surely would have perished,"

"She's right Sal; just let it go," Kimberley added on as she turned a sweaty frown over to the scowling Trainer. She rolled her eyes but agreed, turning on her heel and folding her arms as she did.

"I take it back; she's _not_ like Steven." Misty groaned as she raised herself up from the ground roughly, dusting herself off. "She _is_ Steven," she admitted in a bothered frown. Kimberley, though fatigued, chuckled with her.

"Ain't that the truth,"

Sally didn't listen to them; she instead focused on the enemy she nearly had put in place. The woman, Tabitha, was strong indeed. Sally knew she'd be facing her again and even in the face of her staggering power, she knew she could beat her _and_ the rest of the Order.

Make it a stepping stone, she thought.

First Tabitha then the Order and then _Ross_.

Then she could have her shot at the _Champion_ once things died down.

"Did you get all that Miss?"

"Huh?" the black haired girl muttered as she turned on her heel once more to find the black dressed Lorelei frowning over at her, hands resting on her elbows. Misty and Kimberley groaned simultaneously as they ran a hand over their faces and Sally raised an ebony eyebrow. "What, sorry?"

Lorelei frowned once more but she showed no indication of any annoyance. "We were discussing our next course of action of course," she claimed and Sally chuckled nervously, running a hand across her head.

"Oh okay… so… what's been decided?"

Lorelei let her smile grace her face once more as she responded. "Unfortunately I cannot accompany you all any longer as I have the utmost of important tasks given to me _but_ I can point you in the right direction of the meeting place of our country's Gym Leaders,"

"Oh,"

"Yes! If you take this cave's route to the North West and ascend the man-made stairs then you'll come out through a secret entrance to the Indigo Plateau," the Ice Type specialist smiled as she raised a finger to point to the north west of the large cavern.

"Oh cool," Sally murmured as she watched down the darkness of the cave.

"I suppose you'll be leaving then?" Misty smiled as she turned her head up to the purple haired woman on her right. She smiled in response and nodded her head positively.

"That's right. Be careful going down this road; we're not sure how far the Order have penetrated us yet,"

"Shall do boss!" Kimberley grinned, saluting off the Elite Four member.

"And one more thing…" the woman began again as she walked down to the hard frowning Blastoise, its shelled back to them in its surveillance of the area. "Take good care of this Blastoise." she requested in her smile as she bent down to its level. It turned and blinked at the woman. "It's gone through a lot." she smiled and raised her hand to cup the creature's cheek.

The Blastoise gently swatted her hand away however and turned to walk off, perhaps alone to scout further.

"You all better be careful." Lorelei began as she raised herself up to frown at the shelled back of Oblivion. "It looks as though Oblivion is retreating to its own world. It may be a while before it can trust again," she claimed. Sally raised a black eyebrow as she watched and laid her hands to join behind her head care freely.

"I don't get why. I mean we're nice to it so-"

"Sally." Misty interrupted as she turned her red haired head over to the young girl. "Oblivion's been through a lot; you just heard her say that. Somethin' like that can do a lot of things to somebody,"

"Like what?"

"Start trust issues maybe?" Kimberley answered for her and smiled a little, a small turn of her mouth raised upward as she did so. "I don't blame it; I can sort of understand how it feels,"

"Hrm…" Sally thought her voice murmuring in her throat as she turned her head to watch the Water Type walk off, eyes narrowed.

"Anyway, you have your orders." Lorelei interrupted as she turned her own head to nod at the frowning Misty. "I have gotten you this far; the rest of the journey isn't too far. Just be smart and be careful; we don't know how far the Order have progressed,"

"Got it." Kimberley grinned, raising a thumbs up in response.

"Thanks a lot Miss Lorelei; without your help we would have surely lost our lives." the redhead claimed as she bowed her head respectfully. Sally merely rolled her eyes wordlessly as she folded her arms in a show of disagreeing but Lorelei nodded gratefully in reply, her own hands joined at her elbows in a fold. Her Jynx glowed a deep purple once more and she rose up a single arm.

"Be careful!" she said only and the purple aura enveloped her and her Pokémon before the pair finally disappeared, leaving only a plume of dust in their wake. The cavern had grown steadily silent before Misty sighed and sat down to rest.

"We'll pick this up later." she stated simply and got out her back pack. "We need the boys awake if we wanna progress,"

"Good point! I'll go see if I can find Oblivion," Kimberley offered helpfully as she turned and called out the said Pokémon's nickname, her voice reverberating off the walls. Sally sighed as she sat down next to the engrossed Misty, her own attention caught on the dark ceiling of the cavern.

It would get a lot tougher from here on out.


End file.
